What I Did For Love
by kiwiskigirl
Summary: Sequel Girls in white dresses.After an evening with the person she never thought she would see again, Hermione returns to the people she holds most dear.Not all sits well with them, and what about Her son?She takes responsibility, hoping...he understands
1. Chapter 1

What I did for love

Chapter 1

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon in August, with a cloudless sky and warmth that only the end of summer has. Hermione walked up the path to the burrow for Sunday brunch, organized by Molly Weasley. She walked hand in hand with her seven year old son Dominique.

At the moment, this little boy was consumed with happiness. He giggled as he skipped along the dirt pathway.

The Burrow was the same crooked house she remembered, the house that she had loved when she was younger. The Weasleys still lived in this same home, and now that everyone had gone their separate ways, no one had seen one another in seven years. Mrs. Weasley had called everyone together for an impromptu meeting, which she had disguised as a Sunday brunch.

Hermione's heart pounded as they came closer to the Burrow. There were only four people who knew about Dominique and they were Ginny, Harry, Molly, and Arthur. She hadn't seen the others since she had left after graduation. Ron moved to Italy, fell in love, and married a gorgeous model. The Twins moved out and now lived above their magic shop in the village, and Harry and Ginny married the year before.

Ginny had already known about Draco, in fact, she was the only person that Hermione trusted with her secret, and she was the first person Hermione came to when she learned that she was pregnant with his child. It was Ginny who convinced Hermione to tell the others due to the fact that they were the closest she had to a magical family, and the fact that she would never be able to hide her stomach once she reached her second trimester.

It had been a hard pill to swallow, but given time, they grew to understand. Hermione had loved Draco, and somehow everything had gone back to it's normal pace, but now, Hermione was taking care of an infant. Everyone helped of course. Mrs. Weasley watched Dominique when Hermione had to work late, and he had named her Grandma Molly. Ginny had never been against Hermione having Dominique and she deemed herself Aunty Ginny. Uncle Harry and Grandpa Arthur considered Dom one of their own and Hermione was happy, something that she didn't believe possible when she had first learned that she was with child.

Now she would have to tell Ron. He was a different story. When you've loved someone, that love doesn't just disappear, in fact, it never leaves. It changes, and embeds itself into your heart, and while that love is not expressed in your everyday life, it stays with you. Hermione had loved Ron, it was before she loved Draco. It had been an innocent love, a first love that she would never forget and she had the odd sort of foreboding feeling that the moment she saw Ron, she would get weak in the knees and her heart would explode. What she feared the most was what Ron would think of her. Would her once pure image be left in darkness, would she, the person that he had put on a pedestal for so long, be lowered to a level that was reserved for only the truly evil? She would have to tell him the entire story, about her relationship with Draco, everything would have to be explained. Hermione took a deep breath as they walked up the stairs of the porch. Who was she kidding? He would know the moment he saw Dominique. Was it the blonde hair? Or the steel eyes that only one person seemed to posses?

Why was Dominique so much like his father? Malfoy traits must have been dominant. Sometimes even the way he laughed reminded Hermione of his father. 'God this shouldn't be this hard' she thought. 'He should understand, if he ever loved her in even the way a friend loves a friend, then he will understand'

"What's wrong Mummy?" Dominique looked up at his mother, who stood before the door of the house.

"Nothing's wrong baby." she smiled down at him. "Are you excited to see everyone, I'm sure they're excited to see you."

"Yeah!" he cheered. Hermione rapped on the door, hearing hurried footsteps moving inside the house. Mrs. Weasley pulled the door open a moment later.

"Hermione Dear." Molly pulled her into a tight hug. "It's so good to see you."

"You too Molly." Hermione smiled.

"And how is Dominique today?" Molly kneeled down to look him in the eye. "Does Grandma Molly get a hug?" he opened her arms and he plunged into a hug. "Oh, there's my Dom." she picked him up and carried him into the house with Hermione following behind them. She closed the door as the scent of food hit her senses. This was the way the Burrow always smelt…like home. "Come on, let's go find Grandpa Arthur…he's been looking forward to seeing you all morning." Molly set Dom down and took his hand, leading him around the house.

"Hermione, you made it." Ginny came down the stairs.

"Of course. How could I turn down a meal cooked by Molly."

"How are you?" Ginny hugged her.

"All right I guess." she shrugged. "And you?"

"Oh, I'm fine." Ginny leaned in. "Did you tell him?" she whispered into Hermione's ear.

"No…I couldn't" Hermione shook her head.

"Why not? You are going to have to tell him at some point, it's not fair. It's a wonder he hasn't heard already, with everything that has been printed in the paper…"

"He doesn't read the paper anymore."

" So you did speak to him then?"

"I did, and he seemed happy. I just couldn't…I mean, what was I supposed to say? Hello, we haven't seen one another in seven years, oh, guess what, you have a son whom I've kept from you all this time."

"You've got a point." Ginny nodded.

"Thank you." Hermione sighed. "Is Ron here yet?"

"No, he'll be here soon though. Are you sure you're going to tell him today?"

"Yes. I have to. When he sees the seven-year-old boy running around he is going to wonder who he is and why he is here. Why, is there a reason why I shouldn't?"

"As someone who has had to put up with Ronald Weasley for her entire life, and as someone who has witnessed you two's puppy love on more then one occasion, I do think that there is the possibility that he will…react…in a way that is not looked on in a good light. He has before…"

"I know…you don't think he'll take it well, do you?"

"I wish I could give him some credit, but I have to say that this is some rather large news, and you have to understand…he loved you for so long, and he only just got over you a few years ago, only because you haven't seen one another…I would say that the chances are rather high."

"You're right."

"Well, come sit down. I'll get you some coffee." Ginny led Hermione to the kitchen. Hermione sat down at the table as Ginny set a mug of coffee before her.

"Hey you!" Harry said as he bounded down the stairs. He rushed into the kitchen. "How are you?" He kissed Hermione's cheek and sat beside her.

"Tired, and you?"

"That does sound familiar…We've been trying to make everything ready for the coming school year, I had to hire about ten new professors, and the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is still difficult to fill." he looked over to Ginny, who was now sitting beside him, her arm intertwined with his. "How that little tike of yours?"

"Oh…he's great. I don't know where he gets his energy. He's going twenty-four hours a day seven days a week." she laughed.

"He's young, he'll grow out of it. Then you'll wish that that sullen teenager who lounges on the couch still had that energy." Molly bustled into the kitchen, continuing to cook that meal that she would soon serve while the three friends continued to chat. Eventually, Arthur led Dominique into the kitchen, and sat down at the table, while Dom insisted on sitting on his mother's lap.

"Excuse me, Ladies and Gentlemen! May we have your attention please? I Fred…"

"And I George…"

"Have arrived."

"You two! How long has it been since you've been in this house?" Molly greeted her son.

"Not long enough." Fred laughed. Molly ignored her son and ushered them into the house. They hugged Ginny, and shook Harry's hand, and then they turned their attention to Hermione.

"Well, who is this?" George asked, kneeling down to look at the boy on Hermione's lap.

"My name is Dominique." Hermione eyed George, waiting for a response. "How do you know my mummy?" he asked.

"We're old friends of your mummy."

"How old?"

"We won't go into numbers." the twins chuckled, looking up at Hermione. "How old are you Dom? Is it alright if we call you Dom?"

"It's fine…I'm six…but I'm almost seven."

"Almost seven." they nodded, taking everything in.

"Well, you can call me Uncle Fred."

"And Uncle George."

"You two had better not get him into trouble." Hermione smiled as she looked down at her giggling son.

"Us? That was years ago Hermione! Who was the one who broke all of the rules in school?"

"You."

"Well, alright…it's true, but in all fairness, you broke a few rules in your time."

" Is that true mummy?" Dom looked up at his mother.

"Why don't you two take Dom into the den and play. I'm sure you'll find that some of Dom's toys are amusing , or to you two anyway."

"What are you talking about? We've evolved since you last saw us." Hermione shook her head as her son climbed off of her lap. "look opposable thumbs." Fred held us his hands.

"Yes, you've evolved…into professionals."

"Come on Dom. Let's go." George took the boy's hand and led him out of the kitchen.

"I'll keep an eye on them." Fred turned back to look at Hermione.

"I bet you will," she nodded as he left with the other two. "Those twp haven't changed at all." Hermione turned to look at Harry and Ginny.

"What did you expect?"

"What did we miss?" Ron walked into the kitchen, hand in hand with a tall blonde girl who Hermione assumed was his wife. He was taller then she remembered, his hair had grown out, however it still held it's Weasley Red color.

"Ronald…you're late." Molly hugged him. "And this is…" she pointed to the blonde girl.

"Yeah…" he brought her forward to face his mother. "Mum…this is Laura, my wife. Laura, this is my mother."

"Hello Dear." while the two women conversed with one another, Ron came towards the others. He smiled at Hermione when their eyes met, and just as Hermione predicted, her heart began to race. Her cheeks felt warm, as she looked down at her lap as he greeted the others. "Come sit down, everything is almost ready." Ron and Laura sat down with the others.

"Laura, this is my Sister Ginny, her husband Harry, and Hermione."

"It is a pleasure to meet you all, I've heard so much about you.

"Nice to meet you too."

"Where's Fred and George? Are they causing trouble already?"

"You know them so well." Ginny smiled awkwardly. "Anyway, how are you? What hove you been up to?"

"Work…a lot of work. Maybe too much. Other then that, we've just bought a new flat, and we've been moving in for the past few weeks." Ron took Laura's hand in his and smiled at her. "You all have to come and visit Italy…that's where all the magic happens."

"Brunch is ready." Molly called to everyone. Fred and George returned to the kitchen with Dominique in between the two of them.

"Who is this?" Ron asked. He stood with a frown on his face. Laura looked up at him, a bit surprised with the change in his tone. The twin sat down, and Dominique resumed his place on Hermione's lap.

"This is Dominique." she smiled, looking down at her son, and then back at Ron.

"Is he you…yours?" she nodded. "Dom, this is Ronald…can you say hello?"

"Hello" he mumbled, leaning onto his mother's shoulder.

"Wh…when did this happen?"

"If you mean how many years I am, I happened almost seven years ago…but I'm really only six. When did you happen?" the boy smiled at Ron, who was dumbfounded.  
"He's got his mummy's wit." Harry laughed, wrapping is arm around Ginny, who was leaning her head on his shoulder.

"He's adorable." Laura smiled, up at Ron, who was still frowning. "Isn't he darling, Darling?"

"Why didn't know about this?"

"Well…"

"Are you married then?"

"No…" she whispered, looking down at the boy who was now wearing a frown to match Ron.

"Ronald Weasley…that's enough!" Molly exclaimed.

"Don't I have the right to be upset? Why wasn't I told? Did everyone else know?"

"For your information, little brother, you aren't looking too good now…I would suggest that, because you haven't seen some of these people in seven years…you grow up a bit." Fred and George looked at Ron.

"Was I supposed to tell you about Dom the way you told me about getting married? No offense Laura."

"None taken." the blonde hesitated, still looking up at her husband.

"That's completely different…"

"Alright…everyone out of the kitchen now!" Molly yelled, her face a shade of red that Hermione hadn't seen her wear in years. Everyone stood and filed out of the kitchen. "Not you two." she pointed to Hermione and Ron. "Now you listen to me…you will stay in here until you can solve your issues that made you unable to be civilized adults at my table." she took Dominique from Hermione and left then alone. Hermione stared down at the table while Ron stood, pacing back and forth before her.

"Are you going to explain yourself?" Ron asked. There was anger in his eyes that Hermione was fairly sure she had never seen before, and it frightened her.

"Are you going to explain yourself?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"I haven't seen you in seven years Hermione, and when I come back, you suddenly have a son that I never knew existed. Forgive me for being a trite bit shell shocked."

"That's no excuse for embarrassing me in front of our friends and family." he didn't respond to her, only grunted and continued to pace. "Why didn't I tell you? Look at the way you're acting! How could I tell you? When you were eloping with Laura? When you were moving into your new flat? When you were working? I'd love to give you another reason but to be honest with you, that's all I know about your life at this point. And now you walk in here and incriminate me for not telling you I had a son, when in turn you haven't told me anything about you. What your wife must think about your friends? About us?"

"She knows about us…I told her."

"And she took it with a grain of salt?"

"She understood."

"Well, at least someone does." she sighed. "Why do you care if I had a son Ron, since you obviously never planned on returning home. Other then the fact that you're almost an uncle, why does it matter?"

"What matters is that you never had the decency to tell me that I was a father."

"What?" Hermione froze, looking up at him.

"What? What do you mean what?" he stopped pacing and faced her. "You…you don't remember, do you?"

"Remember what?"

"It was the day we graduated…you went out, and when you came back to the common room, you were upset…and…" The memory flew back to Hermione suddenly, a memory that she had never intended to take place in the first place

Hermione walked through the corridors as if in a trance. The portrait swung open, allowing her to step into the common room. Only a few people remained from the celebration earlier, and she herself did not plan on staying downstairs for too long.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Ron asked, coming towards her. She could tell by the tone of his voice that he had been concerned when she had left, and he was still rather worried.

"Yes…yes I'm fine." she nodded, but not looking at him. In all honesty, she was far from fine. She had just come back from the garden, where Malfoy had been waiting for her. It was when she was walking back to the Gryffindor common room that she decided that he had touched her for the last time…and that she had fallen in love for the last time. She was giving up on it all…the romance, the sweetness, everything. If she had learned anything from Malfoy, it was that sex was dangerous. In the right situation, and perhaps a perfect world, sex could bring two people closer, make then one instead of two…but this hadn't been that situation, and the world Hermione was living in most certainly was not perfect by any means. He had corrupted her mind, he had made her trust him in a way that she had never trusted anyone before, and without warning, he pulled that trust out from under her. She had been a virgin before him, and now she hated sex…it was too personal. She had come to believe that sex made you learn too much about someone…more then anyone wanted to know. How could she have been so stupid? He was a bastard and she hardly knew him…and yet she had let him see a part of her that no one else could feel, see, or understand. No one else would get the chance to understand. She had been naïve… and now it was over for good.

"You don't look fine." Ron shook his head, coming closer to her, cupping her elbow in his hand.

"I just need a drink." she walked past him and over to a bucket that had been packaged with ice and chilled bottle of fire whiskey. She pulled a bottle from the bucket and attempted to twist the cap off of it. She struggled, and for some reason, the cap was more frustrating then any normally was.

"Here let me." Ron took the bottle from her and twisted the cap off with ease. He then handed it to her. "There you are."

"Thanks." she murmured under her breath. She put the bottle to her lips and took a quick sip. The alcohol automatically burned her throat and she cringed as she swallowed the whiskey down. She shuffled over to the couch and sat with a huff, holding the bottle between her two hands. She felt Ron's glare on her as he came closer to the couch and sat beside her.

"Hermione, this isn't like you." he whispered to her.

"Sorry?" she looked over to him.

"Well…I've known you for nearly seven years now, and in all of those years, I know you've never been one to hide your worries behind anything other then your schoolwork, especially a bottle of whiskey."

"I know, you're right." she nodded, looking down at the bottle in her hands. "But those worries seem rather insignificant to the problems that I am currently facing." she lifted the bottle and took another sip of the whiskey after she finished.

"Where have you been Hermione? You've been gone for nearly two hours."

"I was just walking…and thinking. I need some time to myself is all."

"And you couldn't talk to Harry or I about these problems that you tell me you are currently facing?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." she smiled slightly.

"Go on and try me…this is the person who handled the fact that Neville was better then me at something." he said as he put his arm around her shoulder. Hermione looked at his wrist and then back over to him,

"Well…I" she tried to think of how to tell him. "I don't know where to begin…"

"How about at the beginning?"

"If only it were that simple." she smiled slightly, trying to act as calm as possible. "Well…you see…" bet he would never see, it was impossible. "Never mind." She shrugged and leaned back on the couch.

"What ever you have to tell me Hermione, it's safe with me."

"I know…maybe some other time."

"Alright." he nodded. "May I?" He motioned to the whiskey bottle. Hermione handed the bottle to him and he took one large gulp from it, hardly feeling the burn of the whiskey as it slid down his throat. He handed it back to her and she took another sip. When she returned it to her lap, she felt his eyes on her, and she looked towards him, her eyes wide. Ron leaned towards Hermione, their faces so close, that they could smell the whiskey on one another's breaths.

"So…are we going to do this again?" Hermione whispered, shifting on the couch to face him completely. They looked around the common room, noticing that everyone else had retreated to the dorms.

"It would appear so." he smiled at her, brushing a piece of hair behind her ear. "Are you sure you want to?" she nodded looking down for a moment and then up at him again. She wanted to know that not every man would take advantage of her…she wanted to know what it was like to really know the person you love…not the person you lust for. It was in that very moment, when their eyes met again, that their lips met. Her body tingled as the fire whiskey began to set into her blood stream. She brought her hands to his shirt and unbuttoned it quickly. His hands worked on unzipping the back of her dress. He began to kiss her jaw line and down further as she ruffled his hair. Moments later, their clothes had been tossed to the carpet beneath them without a second thought about them. Ron balance above Hermione. "Are you sure you want to do this? If it's too much…" Hermione brought her hand to his mouth, stopping him.

"No…no, I want to…I'm sure." she nodded before removing her hand and leaning up to kiss him.

Hermione's mouth fell open as the memory flew back to her. Her face had grown pale, her eyes holding a blankness that was a certain sign of shock."

"Oh." she sighed, grabbing her chair and pulling it towards her to sit down. "Oh God!" she shook her head.

"Yes 'Oh God'" Ron sat down as well, across from her. He was clearly upset, a frown displayed across his face.

"Ron…I'm so sorry. I…"

"It's not a problem…clearly it wasn't as important to you as it was to me…"

"Ron that's not true at all…"

"Now I can understand why you didn't tell me." he nodded.

"Ron…you DON'T understand"

"But I do Hermione…maybe not why you never told me…but the embarrassment of having the father of your child make love to you on a common room couch…there's a story for the books."

"This has nothing to do with your standards of proficiency Ronald!"

"Then why did you keep this from me! For Spite!"

"No of course not!" she shook her head, becoming clearly angry with him.

"Well then just come out and say it Hermione"

"Ron…Dominique isn't your son!"

Another morning spent kneeling over a toilet. Hermione stood up slowly, taking a wash cloth from a basket and wiping her mouth with it. She set the cloth aside and took her tooth brush, squeezing tooth paste onto it. She turned the faucet on and began to brush her teeth. She watched herself in the mirror. She looked tired, there were purple circles under her eyes. She had been vomiting for about a week now, and her face looked slight. She hardly ever got sick and now she was vomiting at least twice a day every morning.

She was heaving lunch with Ginny that day. They met at a small diner, where they both ordered a mug of coffee.

"Why didn't you order any food Hermione, you look like death!"

"Thank you." she laughed. "I'm never hungry anymore…even the thought makes me want to…" she shuddered. "Even smelling food makes me sick."

"Are you getting sick?" Ginny asked as the waitress set the two mugs on the table, and Ginny's plate of food in front of her. "Thank you." she smiled at the lady. "Do you want some?" she asked Hermione.

"And to that I give you an overwhelming 'NO'. You know that I don't get sick that often, but over the last week. I've vomited a million times, or at least that 's how it feels." she sighed. "Maybe it's just a case of the stomach flu. I here it's making a comeback." Hermione took her mug in her hands.

"Yeah…or maybe you're pregnant." Ginny laughed. Hermione began to smiled, but froze as the words sunk into her. Her mouth fell open and she stared forward. She hadn't had her period in two months…she had been vomiting… "Hermione? What's wrong?"

"Oh my God?"

"He's not yours." she shook her had. His mouth was now hanging open as he starred at Hermione. "We…Draco Malfoy and I were involved in out seventh year…and I ended it after graduation, and when I got back to the common room…"

"So you're telling me…that Dominique is Draco Malfoy's son?"

"Yes…I'm sure of it…if not for the hair and eyes…there's also the blood test, the hospital…never mind that."

"I thought that…perhaps I had been foolish to believe that when we were on that couch…that you wanted to be there with me…I thought you loved me…'cause God Damn it I loved you."

"Ron…you know I've always loved you, in my own way. I thought it would help. I thought it would make me forget about him, and that it would bring up closer together…and so when you left…I didn't tell you because I thought that it would bring up old ghosts, and then when I heard about Laura…I'm sorry you had to find out this way, really I am" he continued to stare at her as he processed this new information. "Ron…please say something…anything?"

"Did you love him?"

"I…I think so." he fell silent again, bowing his head.

"Ron…"

"What do you want me to say Hermione? What am I supposed to say when…"

"I don't want you to be this way…I don't want you to hate me…"

"I don't hate you!" he yelled, slamming his hands down on the table. "I don't hate you." he settle him self, exhaling. "I could never hate you Hermione…but Malfoy? I thought that you hated him."

"So did I."

"Well where is he now?"

"I…" she hesitated.

"He doesn't know does he?" she shook her head. They sat in silence for a minute before Ron began again. "Let me help you."

"What?"

"I want to help…I could help with the groceries, or the financial issue…anything just to know that you and Dom are alright."

"But…"

"You could move it Italy with us…Laura would love having him around. We'll find you a flat and a good job and…"

"No Ron…"

"No?"

"No…I can't accept that." she shook her head. "I do appreciate the thought but…that's more then anyone can ask of a friend…we've been fine the last seven years with help."

"Oh." Ron sighed, leaning back onto his chair. He was disappointed…she could tell. Hermione stood up, walking over to him…She placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her.

"But you know…Dom could use an Uncle Ron who takes him on weekends to Italy." she smiled. "If you're up to the challenge."

"I'm up for it." he smiled and nodded. He stood, wrapping his arms around her. "You are too much Hermione." he laughed.

After Hermione and Ron had made up, everyone returned to the kitchen and resumed their positions around the table. Mrs. Weasley scooted around, shoveling food onto everyone's plates. Everyone was about to dig in when Harry tapped his knife against his glass.

"May I have your attention please." he stood. He hand was held tightly by Ginny, who was looking up at him a proud smile on her face. "I…we have an announcement to make." Ginny stood as well. They starred at one another as he continued. "Molly, I think you're going to have to add another chair to the table soon." Molly's eyes grew wide.

"Mum…and everyone else, WE'RE PREGNANT" There was a sudden uproar in the kitchen. Everyone stood with wide smiles on their faces. They all crowded around Ginny who was glowing with pride.

"Ginny how could you not tell me?" Hermione laughed as she hugged her.

"I swore to Harry that we would keep it a surprise so…surprise!"

"You have prevailed." she hugged her again. Soon afterward, Hermione backed off from the crowd to let the others congratulate the couples.

"What's going in Mummy?" Dominique came over to her.

"Aunt Ginny is having a baby." Hermione kneeled down to straighten out his shirt.

"A baby?" he frowned. "Like me?"

"Yes, like you…but a bit smaller."

"So Aunty Ginny is going to be a Mummy like you?"

"Yes."

"And Uncle Harry is going to be a Daddy?"

"That's right."

"Mummy…where's my Daddy?" She was silent as she attempted to create an answer. "I do have a Daddy…don't I Mummy?"

"Yes baby, you have a Daddy."

"Well, why isn't he here with us? Is he angry at us?"

"No, he's not angry with us. He just isn't here now."

"But I want my daddy here!"

"I know but…we have fun, don't we…we're happy?"

"Yes." he nodded. "But we'd be happier if he were here, wouldn't we?"

"You know what? Why don't you go wash your hands before we eat?"

"But…"

"Go!" She raised her voice. Dominique stomped out of the kitchen to the bath room while Hermione watched the crowd swarm around Ginny. Each person wore a smile…each person was happy for them, and for some reason, it made Hermione sad. No one had been there when she found out she was pregnant, no one jumped to their feet and hugged until she lost feelings in her arms. She had been alone…completely alone.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Hermione sat on the porch of the Burrow later that night. Dominique had gone to bed kicking and screaming. He was still angry with her and hadn't spoken to her for the rest of the evening. She hated the times when she was angry with him, when she let him get the best of her.

Now she sat alone with her head buried in her hands, trying to not let herself be so upset. How could a six year old boy cause her to sit alone in the dark and cry? He was so much like his father…but she knew that her tears were caused by more then her son's anger in her…she knew that Ginny's Pregnancy had to do with her tears as well.

She was happy for Ginny, of course. She and Harry had wanted children ever since they married, and now they were about to start a family of their own. She and Dominique were always welcome in their home, but now it would be different…now they would know what it was like…to be a parent…to love someone else more then you love yourself. Dom was the most important thing in Hermione's life. It was when all of this was going through her mind that she heard a snap. She looked up and froze.

"You! You should…go…go! You shouldn't be here…what are you…"

"I'm not leaving Hermione. I just spent the last week searching everywhere for you. I've realized that I'm not ready to watch you go…I never will be…and I don't think that you're ready either." Draco came closer to her. Hermione stood from the step and took a step back.

"I'm serious! You have to go!"

"You know that you don't want that."

"No more mind games Malfoy! Just leave…"

"Oh now we're back to surnames again? Well, I should have guessed that I would find you here…with your precious Weasley…"

"I swear to God…"

"Why did you leave? What aren't you telling me?"

"Hermione…" she turned to see Ron in the doorway.

"Ron…"

"What is he doing here?" Ron walked over to Hermione, letting the screen door snap shut. He stood by her side, folding his arms over his chest.

"Well, if it isn't the Weasel!" Draco smirked. "How long has it been?"

"Not nearly long enough." Ron shook his head. "Why are you here Malfoy, to give us more trouble…we've had a fair share of you."

"Apparently so." Hermione avoided his glare.

"Malfoy…" she sighed.

"Why don't you leave before I make you?"

"Now, now…why don't we let Hermione say what she wanted to say? I am here on her behalf after all. Or were you hired as her representative?"

"Go on then Hermione." Ron looked over to her. "Tell him to leave…"

"I…I don't…" she shook her head, searching for words. "Why did you have to come here? Couldn't you just leave this where it was? Last weekend was just…"

"Be careful now…we wouldn't want the Weasel knowing our secrets…"

"What are you talking about…everything we were was a secret…until now, because he already knows." she sighed.

"Oh do you?"

"More then you do obviously." he grumbled. Hermione nudged him with a worried look on her face. "Sorry." he whispered.

"Well good to know there's always someone for Granger to run to when she's down. By the way, I heard you got married Weasel, how does your wife feel about the fact that you two still have the warm and fuzzies for one another?"

"Why are you acting like this? What's wrong with you?"

"You said it Granger, now that I'm good old 'Malfoy' again, I might as well act like him."

"I think it's time for you to go…now." Ron yelled.

"I leave when I want to…"

"You'll leave when I tell you to…this is my house and my family that you're disturbing and I won't let you bother us any longer." he put his arm around Hermione's shoulder.

"Weasel still loves Granger…" Draco smirked. "It must kill you that I got there first…"

"Stop it!" Hermione exclaimed. Both men glared at her, frowning. "We are not going to stand out here and discuss the fact that you two have yet another reason to hate one another." she looked at the two of them. "Go Draco." she shook her head. He began to say something, but she cut him off. "Just…go." she turned her back to him. "Come on Ron." she took his hand and headed towards the door.

"That's right…go on in and fuck each other while his wife is in the other room." without warning, Hermione turned and slapped Draco across the face.

"That's enough." she glared at him. She felt as if they were in school again, like she was sixteen again. It amazed her how quickly she could get angry with him…only Ron had ever had the same effect on her. Ron's arrogance had made her angry with him…Draco was a different story. He had a way if infuriating her and she never knew why when she saw younger…but she knew now. It was true what she had told him…you do have to hate the one you love. "I don't want to see you again Draco…go before I make you." she dug into her pocket and drew her wand. They stared at one another before a scream came from inside the house along with loud bumps. Moments later, Mrs. Weasley ran out onto the porch.

"Hermione! Hermione come quick! Dominique…he's fallen down the stairs!" Hermione's face went pale. She ran into the house followed by Ron and Draco. She knelt down next to the boy, who was lying at the bottom of the stairs.

"Dom…baby…baby?" there was no reaction as she touched his cheeks. She then took his into her arms.

"We'd better get him to Saint Mungo's." Fred looked around the room.

"Can we apparate him?"

"No…no, I don't think we should he's…" Mrs. Weasley stopped herself. "Fred, George…drive 'Mione, we'll meet you there"

"Right." Fred took Dom from Hermione and carried him out of the house. The rest of the family stood in the hallway, looking at one another with worried glances.

"What are you doing here?" Harry finally noticed Draco standing with them.

"I…uh…" he struggled for words. "I came to see her…"everyone stared at him, some with angry expressions, others with sympathy.

"Well. We had all better get going to the hospital." Mrs. Weasley clapped her hands together. With nods of agreement, they all moved towards the door. Draco stood by Ginny, who was avoiding his line of vision.

"It's…it's Ginerva, right?"

"Ginny." she sighed.

"Ginny…who…who's Dom?" Ginny looked at him quickly and then forward again.

"I don't think that it's my place to tell you that Draco." she said quietly. "Sorry." he said nothing, but continued to follow the group outside.

Hermione burst through the doors of the hospital, holding Dominique in her arms.

"We need a healer here!" Fred yelled as he followed her. "A healer here now! This is an emergency!" hearing the panicked voice of a frizzy haired woman came towards them. "This is not a drill!" her face was stern as she took in the sight of Dominique in Fred's arms.

"What's happened to him?" the woman asked, motioning for them to follow her.

"He fell down a flight of stairs." Hermione said as they came to a stretcher in the hallway. "He was unconscious when…he's lost a lot of blood." tears were pouring down her face as her son was placed on the bed.

"Yes…yes, I can see that." the woman nodded. Hermione looked down at her white shirt which was now covered with her son's blood.

"Is he going to…"

"He needs to go into surgery now…please wait in the waiting room, someone will find you when we know more." the woman pushed the stretcher past them.

"But…"

"Please ma'am…you're son is in serious condition, and we're going to do all we can, please wait out here." the woman pushed past a pair of doors, leaving Hermione. Fred took her hand and led her away.

"He's going to be alright, 'Mione. You'll see." Fred put his arm over Hermione's shoulder as they walked to the waiting room.

"Yeah…with his genes, there's no way he won't pull through." George agreed. They say down in the chairs.

"You're right…of course you're right." she sighed, leaning back. She buried her face in her hands, her body shook uncontrollably as Fred and George sat on either side of her. Neither could think of anything to say, and so they sat in silence, letting her cry. "Oh my God!" she whispered. "What am I going to do without him?"

"Don't talk like that…Dom will be fine…better then fine…" as George spoke, the rest of the Weasley family came through the entrance to see them..

"Where's Dom?"

"How is he?"

"Did he wake up yet?" Hermione was bombarded with questions all at once as she looked up to see the familiar faces.

"He's in surgery." was all she said. They starred at her waiting for her to say more, but nothing came.

"Well…" Fred stood. "We'll just have to wait until they come and get us." Everyone agreed and found a seat quickly. That was when Hermione noticed Draco. He sat alone, standing out from the rest of the crowd. Why had he stayed? There was no reason for him to…her heart skipped a beat…how could he not?

They sat there for what seemed like hours with the occasional glance from everyone, especially Draco. Hermione felt as though she was going to explode…that if the Healer didn't tell her this moment how her son was, she would tear the place apart. Was he in pain? Was he dreaming? Was she in his dream? She had never felt this way before, she thought she was going mad, completely insane. She needed to do something, anything else rather then sitting and waiting.

"Hermione…" she looked up to see Ginny kneeling before her. "Perhaps you should go home and…you know, rest."

"No."

"But Hermione…"

"Ginny, I'm not leaving until I know he's alright and that's final." she said sternly. Hermione hadn't raised her voice to Ginny in a long time, and the look on her face was pure pain. "Look Gin…I'm sorry, but he's my son." she shook her head. "I can't leave."

"Fine." Ginny stood, placing her hands on her hips. "Well then, where's the nearest coffee machine?"

"I think I saw one that way." Harry pointed down a hallway.

"Alright then, who wants coffee?" she reached into her pocket and pulled out money. Everyone raised their hands.

"I'm coming."

"Me too."

"Us too." Harry, Fred, George, and Laura all stood.

"We'll be back soon." Fred said as they headed down the hall. Mrs. Weasley sat next to her husband, looking awkwardly at Draco, who sat a few seats away from Hermione.

"You…you're Lucius Malfoy's boy, aren't you?" she frowned.

"Yes Ma'am." he nodded. "Former."

"Sorry?" Hermione looked towards him.

"My father disowned me about three months ago." he met her glance.

"Oh." she looked down at her lap.

"Well, Lucius finally did something right." Ron glared at him.

"Ron…" she shook her head."

"No, he's right, and it was the only thing that my father ever really did for me."

"Oh…here comes the sob story. Poor Malfoy, having to be raised in a mansion with every little thing a young Death Eater could desire."

"You don't know what you're talking about Weasel."

"What are you doing here Malfoy? Why don't you go home and fuck some girl whose name you don't know."

"That's enough both of you!" Hermione exclaimed. "My son is lying in a hospital bed unconscious at the moment, and you two are still going at each other with your school boy insults." she glared at the both of them as they avoided her disappointed and angry expression, both ashamed of themselves. "If you want to kill each other, be my guest, but get out of my sight before you do so." neither moved.

"Sorry." They mumbled in unison. Hermione buried her face in her hands once again, tears staining her face.

Hermione sat in her hospital room alone, the lights dimmed. Her hair was still damp with her sweat, her eyes were heavy with sleep, but she wouldn't allow herself to rest. In her arms, she held him, wrapped in a blue blanket. Her eyes watched him, wide gray eyes starring back at her, reminiscent of his father. His chest rose up and down beneath the blanket as he dozed in and out of sleep. Hermione sat, watching him for hours as he woke to watch her in return. Everything was silent round them as they took one another in, when a knock came from the door.

"Come in." Ginny walked into the room, shutting the door behind her, a wide smile on her face. "Hey Gin."

"Hi!" Ginny came over to her, hugging her. "Harry sent me over with these." she motioned to the flowers she was holding. "He's sorry he couldn't come by tonight…he'll be here tomorrow." she walked around to find a place for the flowers. The truth was that she had gotten too many flowers for one person to stand.

"Tell him thank you, they're lovely." Ginny set the flowers down on the table and sat down in the visitor's chair next to Hermione.

"How is he?"

"He's perfect." Hermione smiled. "Do you want to hold him?" Ginny nodded, and took the now sleeping baby in her arms.

"Did you think of a name?"

"Dominique."

"Carrying on with the family tradition then?" Ginny looked over to Hermione. "Like father like son." she said as she took in the boy's eyes and blond hair, which was partially hidden beneath a blue cap. Hermione didn't respond. She looked down at her hands, which rested on her lap. "Have you told him?" Hermione shook her head. "Hermione! There are about one-hundred reporters outside Saint Mungo's as we speak, waiting to see the first Golden Trio Baby! What are you thinking, by tomorrow morning, this will be all over the wizarding world! It's a wonder he hadn't heard already…when he finds out he's going to use that Malfoy fortune to find you, and try to…"

"Ginny, would you hand me that folder there?"

"What?"

"The folder…there on the table, would you please hand it to me?" Ginny leaned over and took the manila folder in her hand and gave it to Hermione. She opened it, pulling a piece of paper out. "Would you read this to me?" she handed to paper to Ginny.

"What is it?"

"It's a clipping that I cut out of the prophet about three months ago, but quietly, or Dom will wake."

"Alright." Ginny nodded. "'_Draco Malfoy, age nineteen, only heir to the Malfoy fortune, has been seen all over magical London with sultry blond Naomi Skie and promiscuous brunette Isabella Lawrence. Malfoy and these two girl have been bouncing from pub to pub each night. Your reporter, Rita Skeeter, back from a four year sabbatical, had the chance to speak with Mr. Malfoy himself._

"_Mr. Malfoy, tell me what attracts you to a person such as Miss Lawrence or Miss Skie?" he throws his head back, laughing, his gorgeous blond hair falling over his face._

"_If you have to ask, you're not it. It takes a special kind of woman to get my attention."_

"_Well…do you ever plan on marrying or having little Malfoys of your own?"_

"_That will be a cold day in hell.' _God it looks as if she's going to swallow him whole." Ginny cringed as she took in the picture of the trio.

"There are almost a hundred more articles just like that one. I've collected them…he's trying to upset me Gin, I know it."

"Well, that may be Hermione, but you deserve more then carrying his child for nine month and then raising the boy alone."

"I'm not raising him alone, Gin, I have you and Harry and your parents…"

"But maybe if he knew…"

"I don't want his money, I don't need it." she shook her head. She then reached into her robe pocket and pulled out another clipping. "This one was written this morning…he's engaged…he's happy." she handed Ginny the clipping.

"Well…he sure knows how to go back on his word, doesn't he?" She said as she read the article.

"Don't they all?"

"You haven't heard from Ron either?" she shook her head. "But you know him…ever the procrastinator."

"That isn't the case, Gin…I know that. It wasn't meant to be."

"Hermione…"

"Forget it…I fell for someone, and it's ruined my life…I though Ron could fix that, but no. I can't take this back…I never can. I'll never tell him…I can't…Dr…Malfoy is going to live in ignorance for the rest of his life."

"But you love him Hermione."

"Yes…and I was foolish enough to believe that the feeling was returned." she held her arms out to take Dom. "Now I've got him, and we're going to take care of one another."

"Excuse me Miss Granger?" Hermione sat up to see a healer standing before her. "You're Dominique's mother, correct?"

"Yes, yes I am. How is he? Is he alright?" she stood up, wrapping her arms around herself.

"He's fine…he just came out of surgery, the area was too sensitive to heal the wound magically."

"So…"

"He's going to be just fine. He's lost a lot of blood. You got him here at just the right moment."

"Well, when will I be able to see him? To take him home?"

"Miss Granger, we expect him to make a full recovery, but his healing process will be extremely slow due to the fact that there was a minimal amount of magic that could be used in his case…we want to keep him here for a few weeks…"

"Weeks?"

"Yes…maybe even a month…or two. For observation. There may be some behavioral changes, and there's a good chance that he may have lost some of his memory…we can't be certain until he wakes up, and you should know, that…it may take some time." the healer paused to let Hermione take in this information before continuing. "Does Dominique have a pensieve?"

"No…he's only seven…"

"Well then, memory retrieval is out of the question."

"I'm sorry, but you said that memory loss is only a possibility…he may not be the same Dom?"

"It is rare in a case such as this Miss Granger…normally we would have been able to restore him…we can't give you specifics at the moment."

"When can I see him?"

"I'm not sure if that is such a good idea…"

"I want to see my son if you don't mind." she said sternly.

"He's…your son is in a bad state, Miss Granger. It may be too traumatizing to see him right now."

"I don't care. I want to see him."

"Very well, follow me please." the others stood. "Just Miss Granger please."

"I'll be back soon." she turned back to look at them before following the healer down the hall. It seemed like hours before they reached a closed door. The healer stopped and turned to face her.

"Like I said, he's sleeping. Please don't try to wake him, it won't do any good to disturb him." Hermione nodded, taking hold of the doorknob and twisting it.

It was worse then she imagined. Her eyes were automatically flooded with tears, her heart felt as though it had stopped, He lay there in bed, his face bruised, a bandage wrapped around his forehead. She moved closer to him, covering her mouth with her hand. He was almost lifeless…perfectly still. She sat down next to him, taking his hand in hers.

"Dom, it's me honey…it's mum." she whispered. "I'm here."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Hermione returned to the waiting room, her cheeks stained with tears, her arms wrapped around herself. Her walk was slow, as though she had no idea where she was going. She felt eyes on her, and heard them stand to greet her. Arms wrapped around as they questioned her. It seemed as though they were speaking another language which she could not comprehend.

"Hermione? Hermione…are you alright? Is Dominique okay? Is he awake? Did you get to see him?"

"Come on, let her breathe." she was brought to a seat, and she sat, recognizing the faces around her. "Hermione…"

"He's…he's sleeping."

"Well, does he look alright?"

"He just fell down a flight of stairs, he's in the hospital for head trauma…how would you look?" Ron sighed.

"What do we do now…he's not leaving any time soon." Fred said to the group after nudging Ron in the ribs.

"We'll have to take shifts. Hermione…you should get back to your flat and change…maybe get some sleep…:

"I…"

"George and I will stay here for now. Get some rest and come back in the morning."

"But…"

"Hermione…listen to me…" Ginny kneeled down in front of Hermione, their eyes meeting. "You need to go home, alright?" she waited for a moment before Hermione nodded.

"Alright, I'll go…but I'm coming back in the morning first thing."

"Good."

"And you'll call me if there's any change or…"

"Yes." they nodded.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank us yet." the twins remained in the waiting room while the others proceeded out of the hospital.

"Can you get home alone?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, I'll be fine." Hermione sighed, as Ginny took her into a hug.

"Goodnight then." Everyone said their goodbyes before apparating away into the night, leaving Draco and Hermione alone on the street corner. They stood in silence, Draco starring at her while she stood still.

"Why did you come here?" she shook her head. "This isn't your place."

"Listen…do you want to get…a bite to eat?"

"No."

"Well…why not?"

"Because Draco…I look like a murdered at the moment…and I should get home."

"Well, met me apparate you there."

"Why are you trying so hard Draco?" she looked up at him. Suddenly drops of rain began to fall from the sky. They both looked up, surprised at the moisture that came upon them. "Perfect." she sighed, shaking her head again and soon she couldn't tell the difference between the raindrops that fell and her tears. She felt a coat being wrapped around her shoulders.

"Let's get you home." he took hold of her. She felt a rush of wind and when she opened her eyes, she was standing in her flat. She looked over to Draco, who still stood with his arm around her. She stepped away from him, taking his coat from her shoulders and handing it back to him.

"How did you know where…"

"Before I came to Weasel's house, I came here." he said as he set the coat down.

" God, I look like a crazy person." she sighed, looking down at her shirt. She walked across the room to her kitchen, taking a bottle of scotch from the cabinet, and pouring herself a shot. She poured the liquid down her throat and then filled another glass.

"Maybe you shouldn't…"

"Don't talk to me about drinking…I remember plenty of nights when you got drunk…and besides…I have a good enough excuse…"

"Yes, and I remember you telling me how much of a bastard I was for getting drunk."

"Well, it's not your son lying in a hospital bed right now is it?" suddenly she realized what she had said and her eyes grew wide.

"Well…" he shrugged, leaning forward on the counter. "I was hoping you could tell me." Hermione hesitated to answer him, turning her back.

"I don't think we should talk about this right now Draco…"

"To Hell with that Hermione…you have a son, and as far as I know, I'm the only person who could have fathered him,"

"Now why would you think that? Did you think that I was just going to stay celibate for the rest of my life?"

"No…I'm sorry to tell you this, but he seems to be missing the Weasley trademark, and the Malfoy genes seem rather prominent in him." she nodded slightly.

"I…" she turned to face him, their eyes catching one another's . "I have to change." she walked past him and through the doorway into her room, and Draco followed.

"Was that a yes?" he asked a she began to unbutton her blouse. "Hermione…Hermione answer me!"

"Why do you want to know? Why do you want to come here and ruin everything?"

"I don't want to ruin anything…"

"And what if he is your son? What are you going to do about it? He's seven years old for God's sake!" she reached into her drawer and pulled out a white T-shirt.

"So…you don't know?"

"Of course I know!" their eyes met again, and neither had to say anything. He knew the truth. She pulled the shirt over her head and smirked slightly. "Nothing you haven't seen before."

"So why didn't you tell me?"

"Why didn't I tell you?" she chuckled as she slipped her skirt off and pulled on a pair of pajama pants. "Why didn't I tell you?"

"You should have called or written…something to let me know…"

"You make it sound so simple."

"How difficult is it to pick up a pen?"

"What makes you think that I didn't want to? I though about it every day…but I left you Draco. It was my decision and I had to hold to that decision!"

"I remember." he nodded. "The reasoning behind that decision is still hazy to me, however."

"What would you have done? Would you have dropped all of those girlfriend of ours so that you could father your ex-lover's son?"

"Well…I…"

"You wouldn't have Draco…I knew that."

"You don't know how things would have worked out Hermione."

"No…but I have a pretty good idea." she sighed.

"What do you mean?" he frowned. She crossed the room and reached into her desk, pulling out a think manila folder. She walked back to him, handing the folder to him.

"What is it?" he looked

"Open it and see for yourself." he slowly opened the cover, starring at the bits of paper inside. He read the papers one by one.

"Hermione…" he shook his head, looking back at her, and taking a step toward her.

"I've collected every article written about you ever since I left you…do you know how many articles there are?"

"I…"

"Two thousand five hundred- and twenty days worth of article. That's how many days it's been" tears swam in her eyes, though she resisted the urge to let the tears spill onto her cheeks, she had cried enough for one night. "You've been engaged three times, dated over two hundred women, and sworn that you will never carry on the Malfoy line with children, and you wonder why I couldn't tell you."

"I though you said that you didn't read the prophet anymore."

"I guess I lied."

"Well…"

"Well? I couldn't tell you because you're the fucking Bastard who made me fall in love!" se grabbed the folder and threw it in the air, making the articles drift to the floor. "The Bastard who goes around with a new girl each night and gets drunk. You can be completely crude, and then turn around and you're the nicest man I've ever met. I might be the only person you've ever shown that side to. I've tried…really tried to hate you, but…I love you more then I hate you." he came close to her, his hands placed on her arms.

"I hate you too." he whispered. There was a gasp for air before Hermione collapsed to the floor, shaking.

"I thought I was going to lose him tonight." she felt his arms wrap around her. "I though he was going to…and then I would have no one…he's yours…and he was my last connection to you, and…" she stopped herself. "All I could think about was the fight we had had before…it was about you."

"Me?"

"He wanted to meet his father…and at the hospital…I thought that now…he would never get the chance." her chin rested on his shoulder. She was convulsing, soaking his shirt with tears as he held her.

"Shh…no more tonight."

"I'm sorry Draco." she whispered. "You deserved the truth."

"I think that's enough guilt for one night." he rocked her back and forth. The truth was that he was happy to be holding her…happy to just be in her presence again, even under the circumstances. He looked down at the news paper articles scattered on the floor around them. It was true, he had gone out of his way to make the paper, to reach out to her, he knew he had gone about it the wrong way, but he was angry. She had left him and she deserved it, didn't she? She most likely ran back to the Weasel. But now, looking at the broken girl, weeping in his arms, he could never stay angry with her. All she had to do was look at him with her innocent eyes, her coy smile, he had fallen for her, and he had become vulnerable to pain again.

She had made him let down his guard, the guard that had made him a Malfoy. It killed him to see her this way, literally broken. She had replaced him, the mending of her heart had come with his son, a beacon of light at the end of a long dark tunnel that had been their never ending need for one another. In that moment, he hoped that the boy wouldn't be like him, that he would never cause any one so much pain as he had in his life. How could he be a father? What did he have to pass on to his son? Hermione had her brains, her wisdom made her a mother, but him…there was nothing he had to teach his son, and maybe he wasn't meant to…he wasn't a father figure, or a role model, or even that much of a nice guy, but he wanted to be there. He was sure of it…he had already missed seven years…

When Hermione had fallen asleep in his arms, Draco lifted her from the ground and walked over to her bed, placing her under the covers. Her cheeks were still stained red with tears, and he suspected that they would be for the next month or so. She was devastated, no question about it. He watched her for a while, taking her in before walking out of her room and into the living room, rubbing his eyes. He was tired. He had only planned on talking to her, and instead, he had learned that he had had a son, and had been a father for the last seven years. It was too much to take in.

It was then that Draco saw a basin in the corner of the room. He walked closer to it, examining it. Only a magical being would recognize the basin to be a pensieve. Inside a shimmering substance swirled around…her memories. He knew he shouldn't…it was wrong, but he couldn't resist…he had to know what he had missed.

He leaned closer to the pensieve and was immediately soaring through darkness.

Draco stood outside I the sunlight, his eyes blinded for a moment. He raised his hands to cover his eyes before he realized where he was. The crooked Burrow sat in the distance. He lowered his hands to his sides, frowning. He was in her pensieve, a place to hide her memories….why this one? He had no idea where she went or what she did after they left Hogwarts. It had bothered him for a while, but he never pursued her….he was too angry. Draco heard voices in the distance…and walked forward, following them. They came from behind a tree…and he walked around, his eyes growing wide…there she was, a perfect seventeen year old…smiling…laughing. The Weasel was kneeling over her, smiling at her. He kissed her before rolling to his side, making Draco's stomach turn. Ron's hand rested on her waist and rested there.

"She'll understand…" his hand moved beneath her shirt and she frowned, looking over to him.

"Isn't there anything I can do to make you stay here with me?"

"I have to go Hermione…I can't live at the Burrow with my parents for the rest of my life. You of all people…"

"I understand…but two months isn't forever…and…what about me?"

"Hermione." he touched her cheek. "I'll be back for Christmas…it's not as if we won't ever see each other again."

"I know." she nodded.

"Yes?"

"What is in Italy that you can't fine here? Why do you have to go so far?"

Draco walked around to see her face, which had tears running down it, her legs were tucked to her chest, and she looked as though she were about to break.

A knock came from the doorway, and her eyes shut automatically. The door was pushed open to reveal the Weasel. A bag over his shoulder and his jacket on his back.

_"Hermione?" he whispered. _The Weasley girl came to his side, folding her arms over her chest.

"Ginny, I have to…"

"No you don't…"

"This isn't for me…this is for her." he gestured to Hermione. "You think that she'd be happy with me the way I am forever? She deserves better…"

"Ron…I know you love her, but there are some thing that you don't know…that you couldn't know, but there is one thing that you should now…she love you just the way that you are. She is your oldest friend…and she will love you unconditionally, but…Ron, you should stay and not go to Italy. You're going to lose her…"

"What do you know Ginny?"

"I can't tell you…Hermione told me in confidence…but she needs you right now, and if you love her, if you want to keep her, you won't leave."

"Of course I love her Ginny, but I have to go somewhere with my life or she'll grow tired of me."

"Fine, I can't make you stay…but she isn't thick Ron, you know that."

"So what does that have to do with me leaving?" Ginny sighed, clearly annoyed.

"Ron, you're going to Italy. You going to meet people, you're going to see things, and no matter how much you say your going to be the same person who left, you're going to change. When you come home, you'll be a stranger because she wasn't with you. Hermione knows that, she knows that and she dreads it. She doesn't need any more pain." Ron stared at Hermione for a moment before touching the door knob.

"Tell her I love her, will you?"

"You aren't going to say goodbye?"

"I…I can't."

"Ronald Weasley, grow a backbone!"

"Ginny, from what you tell me, it would be better if she's left with what we had. And tell her I'll see her for Christmas."

"I will." Ginny nodded

"Thanks." Ron kissed her sister's cheek and continued downstairs. Ginny sauntered into the room and sat down on the edge of Hermione's bed.

"You heard all of that?"

"Yes." Hermione sighed, nodding. "He won't be home for Christmas, you know?"

"I know."

"Three months?"

"Yes…three months…you're due in March…"

"March?" tears began to swell in her eyes as she looked down to her lap. "March." she whispered.

"Hermione?" a concerned expression came to the doctor's face. "Is anything wrong? I should think that you would be pleased…the first 'Golden Trio' baby…"

"Doctor Hall…may I…can I ask you something, in confidence, I mean?"

"Of course you can. That's what I'm here for."

"Well…um…you see…I…I don't know who the baby's father is…I know that it's…it's not…"

"Hermione…you don't have to explain…there are some tests we can run…"

"I can

"I can't ask him…them to…"

"No…magical test, Dear. There's nothing to be ashamed of…it's our secret."

"Morning." she sauntered into the kitchen. "Is that the Prophet?" she said as she walked around the table.

"Do you want coffee?"

"No." Hermione shook her head as she walked around the table. "I need to talk to you two."

"Listen Hermione, we're upset too…this was really inconsiderate of my brother to do to you." Hermione starred at Ginny. "I mean, what was he thinking? Getting married?"

"What?" Hermione's eyes grew wide. Harry and Ginny looked at one another and then back at her.

"You mean, you don't know?" Ginny cringed.

"I don't know what? What are you two talking about?"

"Well…um…"Ginny struggled for words. "Ronald has one and…he…I'm so sorry Hermione…he eloped last night…" Hermione went pale/

"He…he what?"

"He got married."

"Um…" Hermione exhaled. "Who…who is she?"

"A girl he met at his office." Hermione nodded.

"I'm pregnant." she said quickly, looking across to them.

"What!" both of their mouths dropped open. "Hermione…"

"I'm having a baby." the tear finally spilled onto her cheek.

"Well…this is good isn't it?" Harry stood up and walked around the table to her side, pulling her to her feet. Both women looked at him, waiting for him to continue. "When Ron hears about this, he'll realize his mistake, get a divorce, and come back to his real family."

"No he won't." Hermione shook her head

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, he won't hear about this, because we aren't going to tell him."

"You can't keep this from him 'Mione…he is the father and when he comes back…"

"You don't understand Harry, I don't want him to back…I don't want him…" she pulled her hands away from his and wrapped them around herself.

"What's gotten into you?" he frowned.

"You don't understand Harry!" she yelled.

"I do understand! You're upset with him for leaving…"

"No Harry…there are something you don't know…I don't need Ron."

"He deserves to know Hermione…"

"No, he doesn't." Ginny eyes grew wide and she stood.

"Harry." she tried to get his attention.

"And why is that?"

"Because…"

"Harry…"

"The baby isn't his." the room went silent. Harry starred at Hermione, Ginny watching them carefully.

"I'm sorry." Harry chuckled. "I…I though you just said…"

"Ron isn't the father Harry."

"Well…immaculate conception is rare…but I'm sure it's possible…maybe there's a spell that did this…I mean…are you sure you're pregnant…maybe you just have the symptoms…"

"I'm sure." she nodded.

"Well, we'll just have to look into the spell thing…"

"Harry…I never…you weren't supposed to know…it was last year…I…I fell in love…I…but it's over now…I guess…you deserve to know the truth…"

"Who is he?" she waited a moment to answer him, and everyone held their breath until she spoke again.

"Draco Malfoy." Harry froze, his body tensing when he heard the name. Without saying another word, he walked past her and out of the kitchen with Ginny at his heels.

"How could she do this?" he yelled. "To Ron…to us?"

"She didn't do this to us Harry." Ginny paused. "I don't know…just come back and…talk."

"No…I'm going for a walk." the door slammed. Ginny walked back into the kitchen, where Hermione was standing.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah." she sniffed. Hermione walked past her towards the stairs.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to pack…I'm moving out."

"Moving out? Hermione, you can't…you have no where to go!"

"I'll get my own place…I can't stay here Gin…he hates me."

"He doesn't hate you Hermione, it's a shock…I mean are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." she nodded as she reached her room. "I went to the doctor today." she dug under her bed, pulling out her luggage.

"Well…when are you due?"

"March."

"Boy or girl?"

"Boy." Hermione threw open her closer and grabbed some of the clothes that were hanging.

"He'll come around, 'Mione…just give him some time to mull it over…he's your oldest friend…"

"He won't ever be alright with this Gin…you know that. He's hurt, and I can understand that. He just doesn't understand that…I'm hurt too." tears continued to splash her face. She moved to sit on her bed, burying her face in her hands. "I'm beginning to think that I'm not meant to be with anyone…I can't be with Draco…I can't be with Ron…maybe I'm just meant to be alone for the rest of my life…"

"No Hermione." Ginny say beside her. "No, you're wrong."

"Am I? Or am I being punished?"

"For what?"

"Who knows?" she shook her head. "Let them be happy…please don't tell Ron?"

"I won't."

"And would you…would you speak to Harry for me?" Ginny nodded.

"You're gonna be a mommy." Ginny wrapped her arms around Hermione. She nodded whipping tears from her face.

"And Draco won't ever know he's a father."

Draco stood in Hermione's living room. His body was cold, he stayed in the dark for a while, taking in what he had seen. She had been in pain, real pain, and he never realized it. Why hadn't he realized that she was miserable without him? He walked back into her room, sitting on the edge of her bed, watching her. Her pillow was stained with mascara due to her tears, but know, she was still, peaceful.

He had a son…for seven years, he had been a father and he had never know it. Maybe he never wanted to know, maybe he wasn't supposed to know…but now that he knew, he could never leave her, or Dominique…he just hoped that his son wouldn't turn out like him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Hermione woke up the nest morning to the smell of coffee. She sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She looked down at her pillow to see a black smear across the white fabric. She remembered crying herself to sleep the night before, her mascara must have stain as she slept. Hermione pushed her covers aside and stood, shuffling into the bathroom. The reflection that met her in the mirror was unfamiliar even to herself. She was pale, her cheeks holding hardly any pigment. Her eyes were burned red and the underneath of her eyes were blackened. She wiped the mascara away with her fingers. Her hair was going in every direction possible and she looked as if she hadn't slept in days. Hermione felt as though she would always feel this way, as if she would always have this pit in her stomach, a consuming black hole of guilt. When she closed her eyes, she saw him, lying in bed, bruised, broken, and asleep. There hadn't been any news, which both thrilled her and worried her. She was swept up into an overwhelming feeling of hope and doubt. He had to wake up, he just had to…this was no time for doubt. There was nothing more she could but hope. She was no healer, no doctor, she had no way of assisting in any way. All she could do was hold his hand and wait.

Hermione sauntered our into the kitchen, pushing her hair out of her eyes to see Draco standing at the stove, shoveling eggs around a pan. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and an apron was tied around his waist. On the counter, a banquet of food was waiting for her. She stood, starring at him, taking him in. What was she thinking. No, no…she was being selfish. Finally he noticed her standing, watching him,

"Uhm…hey." he rested the spatula on the side of the pan and wiped his hands on his apron. "I mean…good morning."

"Good morning." she sighed. "You…you stayed…and you're making me breakfast." she said as she walked over to a plate of waffles on the counter.

"Yeah, well…it was late, and well, you were upset, I felt responsible, so…breakfast."

"I see."

"Well, I might have gone over board a bit, but…I knew you liked waffles." he motioned to the stack of waffles that she had been pulled to.

"You did?"

"When we were at Hogwarts, the house elves always served waffles on Fridays. You would always be first in the Great Hall with a tall stack of waffles on your plate, and your nose buried in a book."

"You remember that?" she looked over to him. He nodded, meeting her stare. It was Hermione who looked down at the waffle stack.

"Go on and eat, then we can go to the hospital." Hermione nodded, taking a waffle and ripping a piece of the bread off, and popping it into her mouth.

"Draco…can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." he untied the apron and placed it on the counter. "What is it?"

"I was just wondering, that is…I know you came to see me last night to talk, but…what did you think…what did you expect to happen?"

"Hermione…"

"I don't mean that in a threatening way, but…I want to know…not only that, but how you feel now that you know the truth." her cheeks were a brilliant pink, slightly reminiscent of the Weasel. When he didn't answer, Hermione sighed and turned away form the counter. "Never mind, don't answer that…I'll just go and get dressed, then we can go." she walked back to her room.

"Hermione…wait…" he followed.

"No, no, it's silly." she shook her head. She turned her back to him.

"Hermione…will you let me explain myself?" he came closer to her. Draco rested his hands on her shoulders. "I came last night because…because I'm a selfish man." he turned her to look at him, her eyes still red. "After last weekend, I realized that I wanted you all to myself, and I couldn't handle the thought of you being with anyone else…"

"Draco…"

"I came to make you leave with me, even if that meant throwing you over my shoulder. I was desperate, Hermione…I love you…I always have and it took last weekend to make me realize it." he cupped her face in his hands. "I'm sure of it now…we were meant to be together, and that is why I came to see you, to convince you of this." Hermione said nothing, only continued to stare at him. "Well…say something." still nothing. He then leaned down towards her…their lips becoming closer…closer.

"No" Hermione turned her face away, Draco's lips landing on her cheek. She stepped away from him. "We…we had best get going." she whispered. "I'm going to take a shower and get changed. Uhm…you should go to your place and do the same…I'll be fine here."

"Will I meet you there?" he asked.

"I don't know." she shrugged. "That's entirely up to you, isn't it?" she turned her back to him, walking into the bathroom, and shutting the door. He heard her turn the water on, the sound echoing through the room. She was right, he could leave now and just disappear forever. It was his choice, she had been without him for seven years now, what made him think that she couldn't do without him now?

Hermione hailed a taxi an hour later. She sat in the back seat of the car, starring out the window. Draco hadn't been there when she had gotten out of the shower. He hadn't left her a note, he was simply gone. What more had she expected? Of course he left, she had told him to do just that, and he had listened. Yet, she held a sinking feeling in her stomach.

It didn't matter now, she had to carry herself. She had learned before, that you can never rely on anyone other then yourself, and it was as true now as it was then. Perhaps now more then ever.

The cab pulled up to the door of the Muggle looking Saint Mungo's entrance, however, unlike the night before, there was a sea of people outside of the entrance this morning. For a moment, Hermione contemplated returning to her flat and apparating, but no, she couldn't. Instead, she pushed open the cab door and stepped into the mass of people who suddenly flocked her. She slammed the door shut as the people began to shout at her.

"Miss Granger, What's happened to your son?"

"Will he be alright?"

"Are you blaming the Weasley family for the incident?"

"What was the last thing you said to Dom?"

"Who is his doctor?"

Hermione ignored them, pushing through the crowd, toward the entrance. She propelled herself through the door and into the silent hospital. For a moment, the white hallway and floors made her hear skip. Too clean, she had always though that hospitals were too clean, the people who lay in their beds were swept in and out and soon forgotten.

She continued down the hallway, towards the waiting room. There sat Fred and George, both snoring in their sleep. She smiled slightly, walking over to them.

"Morning." she said, both twins jumping at the sound of her voice.

"Hermione!" Fred stood. "We…I was just resting my eyes…long night, you know."

"Yes, I know." she nodded. "Don't worry about it…is there any news?"

"No, nothing new. He's still…" George stood as well.

"Thank you two for staying here for me…it means a lot."

"Alright…that's enough. Come and sit down." Fred took her hand and led her to a chair, sitting down next to her. "Malfoy's gone to get coffee…he should be back soon…"

"What?" she frowned.

"You didn't know he would be here?"

"No…I'm just surprised is all." she shook her head.

"He said you knew…that you sent him here…did he stay with you last night?"

"Never mind that…have you heard from the others?"

"Ginny has a doctor's appointment this morning, and Harry is going with her."

"And Ron and Laura?"

"Well…we haven't, I mean…they…we don't know." Fred shrugged in frustration.

"I want to see Dom.." Hermione stood up. "Have you seen him yet today?"

"No…they wouldn't let us see him…immediate family only."

"Well, I'm going… you two can go home if you like…you look tired."

"No, we'll stay 'til Harry and gin show."

"We know better then to leave you alone with Malfoy."

"Then again, we are already in a hospital." they turned to see Draco coming towards them with coffees on a tray. "Here." he handed a cup to Hermione, then Fred, then George, keeping one for himself.

"The waiter look is good on you Malfoy. You should keep that in mind for whenever that Malfoy inheritance dries up on you."

"Fred." Hermione sighed, refusing to look up at Draco.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." Draco turned to face Hermione. "Feeling better?"

"Fine." she nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. " If you two insist on staying here until the others show, will one of you come and get me when they do?" she asked the twins.

"Sure thing." they nodded. Hermione sighed and then began to walk down the hallway toward the room she remembered to be Dom's. She heard footsteps behind her.

"Hermione…Hermione wait!" she stopped as Draco ran up to her, facing her. "I want to go with you."

"No." she shook her head.

"Why the Hell not!"

" Don't you yell at me in this place!" Hermione looked around the empty hallway. "This is not the time and place…"

"I want to see him Hermione, he is my son and you can't…"

"Draco please…" she whispered. she felt his hands cup her face, and she looked up to meet his eyes.

"What is it? Why don't you want me to see him?"

"I don't know." she shrugged. "Please…would you please give me a minute with him…just a minute?"

"Alright." he nodded. He ran his hands down her arms. "I'll be waiting."

"Thank you." she whispered again. She walked around him and continued down the hallway, feeling his eyes watching her the whole way until she turned the corner again. She saw the door, moving closer. Her hand touched the doorknob. She twisted it, pushing the door open.

The room was silent as she stepped inside, closing the door behind her. It was as if no time had passes between now and the night before. Dom was lying on the bed, his eyes closed. Hermione walked next to the bed, sitting down in the chair she had sat in before.

"Morning Dom." she smiled. "It's mum…I love you." she took his hand. "You know that don't you?" she squeezed it slightly. "Your father is here too…just like you hoped. I'm sorry that you haven't gotten the chance to meet him, but he wants to meet you. He loves you Dom." he continued to lay still .Could he hear her? She had no way of knowing…she could only wish that he knew it was her, that she was with him. "That's why you have you have to wake up, babe…to meet your father…he came all this way to see you…" Suddenly the door burst open.

"Hermione…you'd better come quick." Fred exclaimed.

"What is it?" she stood.

"Ron and Malfoy."

"Oh God!" she raced around the bed and into the hallway, hearing her shoes click along the tile floor. She heard yelling before she reached the waiting room. Them she saw them, Ron and Draco were at each other's throats, hitting and punching, while the others were attempting to pull them apart. Hermione pulled out her wand and with one swoop, everyone flew back into different seats across the room.

"What the…"

"Bloody Hell!"

"Shut up!" she screamed. She was fuming as everyone watched her with worried stares. She looked from Ron to Draco and then back to Ron. "What the Hell is going on here?"

"That git is here, that is what's going on here!" Ron pointed at Draco. "He doesn't belong here Hermione!"

"I don't believe that is any of your concern Ronald!"

"What? He thinks he can just waltz in here after seven years and be one of us? He can't, he doesn't deserve to be here…"

"You had best shut your mouth Weasel, or you won't have one when I'm finished with you."

"Your sort belong in Azkaban with the other Death Eaters!"

"That's enough!" She shouted again. " Get the Hell out of my site Ronald Weasley!" she pointed towards the exit of the waiting room.

"Hermione…"

"I don't want to hear it…and I don't want to see you...Leave Now!" the room was silent as Ron stood and walked out, his head hung in shame. Hermione exhaled as the door slammed shut. Hermione looked around the room, now noticing Harry, Ginny, and Laura. "I'm sorry." Hermione shook her head.

"Don't be." Laura stood, and walked out of the room as well.

"Can we see him?" Ginny asked. Hermione looked towards her and nodded.

"Yeah…I'll show you the way." everyone stood and followed Hermione down the hallway. Hermione pushed to door open, and stood aside so that everyone else could file into the room. Alone, Hermione leaned against the wall and slid to the floor.

"Are you coming?" Ginny looked outside to Hermione.

"I'll be in in a minute." she sighed, nodding.

"Alright." Ginny leaned down and touched Hermione's shoulder before joining the others. Hermione then buried her face in her hands.

They had always been this way, they had always hated each other. Why had she expected anything less?

_Hermione was seated between Ron and Harry in the Great Hall. It was Halloween, and the hall was decorated with carved pumpkins, which glowed and hovered above the tables. Harry and Ron were discussing quidditch, as usual, while she ignored them. She was staring across the Great Hall, to the other side of the room, to his table. He was laughing with his friends, and eating his dinner. She couldn't eat. She wasn't hungry._

"_Hermione…Hermione!" she turned to look at Ron._

"_Yeah." she sighed._

"_What's the matter with you?"_

"_Nothing…nothing is wrong? What makes you think that anything is wrong?" she shook her head._

"_You're just acting strangely is all."_

"_Is there anything else I can do for you Ronald, or is that all you wanted?"_

"_I was going to ask you if you had finished your potions assignment for tomorrow."_

"_Yes, last week."_

"_Well, can I see it when we go back to the common room?" she paused, looking across the hall again. This time their eyes met. He winked, or had she only imagined it. "Hermione?"_

"_Yeah, sure you can see it." she looked down at her plate. Then suddenly, Ron screamed. Hermione's eyes grew wide, Ron had fallen backwards from the table, and was thrashing on the floor. Sitting on his plate, was a huge black spider. "Ron!" Hermione leapt from her seat, and kneeled down next to him. "Ron it's alright! It's alright!" Harry came to her side, kneeling next to her._

"_Ron mate…snap out of it!"_

"_Spi…spider!" both Harry and Hermione lifted him to his feet. He was shaking terribly, pointing to his plate. The spider was sitting on his pile of food, however, now it appeared to be made of rubber, and did not move at all. Hermione frowned, looking at the plate and then across the room, where she met a pair of eyes again._

"_Malfoy." she whispered, shaking her head. He was laughing, his friends nudging him. She knew he had done it. She should have seen it coming, had had been hinting at it for a week now. "Come on and sit down."_

"_Get rid of it! Get rid of it!"_

"_Oh for heaven's sake Ronald! It's a plastic spider!"_

"_Please Hermione? Please get rid of it."_

"_Oh alright." she took the spider from the plate and threw it into her bag. "Better?"_

"_Thank you." he whispered before returning to his seat. Harry and Hermione sat as well, her cheeks permanently blushed with embarrassment. She buried her head in her hands._

"_You know, I have to go and get a book from the library before we go back to the common room." she said, gathering her bag and standing up._

"_What for?" Ron frowned._

"_For Astronomy."_

"_We don't have astronomy work tonight." Harry turned to look at her._

"_Maybe you don't, but I don't want to fall behind, especially in a class that I abominate completely. I'll meet you in the common room." she said before she rushed out of the Great Hall._

_Hermione stormed down the corridor toward the common room. She hadn't had to get a book, she just wanted to get away from Ron. He had completely embarrassed her. She threw her bag to the floor, and leaned against the wall, letting out a cry of frustration. She sank to the floor, resting her head in her hands. He was ridiculous, a clown and a fool. He was seventeen years old and still acted as though he was eleven out twelve._

"_The eensie weensie spider climbed up the water spout…" a voice echoed down the corridor. "Down came the rain and washed the spider out…" Hermione raised her head, looking down to corridor to see a person walking toward her. "Out came the sun and dried up all the rain…" he came closer still, how she was able to distinguish him. "And the eensie weensie spider climbed up the spout again." he whispered, now standing in front of her._

"_Think you're funny do you?" she smiled slightly._

"_Yes, actually, I do. Who knew that the Weasel would react to a spider in such a manner?"_

"_You." she sighed._

"_Well, yes…what did he expect, a quiet Halloween?"_

"_It was uncalled for Malfoy."_

"_Oh come on Hermione! Admit it, you thought it was a little funny."_

"_I did not! It was embarrassing!" he smirked. "Alright! It was a little funny." she shrugged. He nodded, extending a hand to her. She accepted it, and was then pulled to her feet. "But I will have you know that the humiliation far outweighed the humor in the situation." she looked up at him._

"_But humor was involved." he chuckled. "So, Weasel getting on your nerves lately?"_

"_I don't care to discuss that with you." she stepped away from him._

"_You've spent the last week complaining about him, you do realize that, don't you?"_

"_That doesn't mean that you put a fake spider on his plate and nearly give him a heart attack Malfoy!" she shook her head, folding her arms over her chest. "I suppose I have someone new to complain about now." she sighed._

"_Come on Granger, you can't stay mad at me forever."_

"_Oh yes I can, just watch me."_

"_What will it take to cheer you up?" he enveloped her in his arms._

"_Nothing, there is absolutely nothing you could do."_

"_How about we meet up later, huh? Will that do the trick?"_

"_I've had enough of your tricks for one evening Malfoy." she released herself from his arms and grabbed her bag from the floor, pulling out the rubber spider._

"_How about a treat then?" he smirked. their eyes locked, before they heard footsteps coming toward them._

"_Hermione, I though you were going to the library." Ron and Harry came toward them, both wearing puzzles looks._

"_Well, I was. I was just returning this spider to Malfoy here." she handed him the rubber spider, and he took it. "Seems you've misplaced it."_

"_Thank you Granger. I have been looking for this everywhere." he twirled the spider by the leg._

"_Yes, and how ironic that it just happened to turn up of Ron's plate." she smiled up at him._

"_Quite." he nodded. "Well, I had best get back to my common room, lot's of homework to do." he began to walk past them._

"_Not so fast Malfoy." Ron drew his wand from his pocket and raised it to point at Draco._

"_Are you sure about that Weasel?" he raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to be humiliated again?"_

"_I don't plan on being humiliated again, but I do plan on getting even with you for that spider trick you pulled back there."_

"_Oh really?"_

"_Yes really."_

"_Sorry I couldn't think of a treat." he looked towards Hermione. "Well, what will be my punishment? Going to give me detention, Prefect Potter?" he looked towards Harry._

"_Shut your mouth Malfoy, no one wants to hear whatever you have to say." Ron continued to point his wand at Draco._

"_Ron. would you put the wand down?" Hermione sighed. When he didn't, she continued. "Ron, put the wand down now." she pulled her own wand from her pocket, pointing in at her friend. He stared at her for a moment with a quizzical look on his face._

"_Fine." he began to lower his wand, when Malfoy punched him square in the face. "Bloody Hell!" Ron doubled over in pain, his hands covering his face._

"_Malfoy!" Hermione exclaimed. "Oh God Ron!" she hurried to stop him from falling to the floor. He buckled in her arms and collapsed to the floor, Hermione kneeling next to him. Blood began to drip to the floor. "Ron." she whispered. Harry came to her side, as she looked up._

"_I'm sorry." Malfoy mouthed to her. She only shook her head._

"_Go!" she mouthed in reply. "Now!" she waved him away and looked back to Ron, hearing footsteps running away from the trio._

Hermione felt someone standing over her. She looked up to see Draco.

"Are you alright?" he offered her a hand.

"Yes, fine." she took his hand and he pulled her to her feet. he remained holding her hands, starring at her. "Last night feels like days ago." she shook her head and sighed.

"Don't I know it." he smiled.

"Well, are you going to go in and see him?"

"Yes." nodded. "But I was hoping that maybe you and I could see him…alone, you know, in private."

"Um…yeah, of course we can." she said, brushing a piece of hair from her face.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes, yes of course. It's just…I don't like hospitals, the atmosphere makes me uneasy." she shrugged.

"Well, do you want to go and take a walk for a bit, see of that helps you relax?"

"That's a good idea." she smiled.

"Alright then." he stood aside and let her walk around him and down the hallway. "So…why hospitals?"

"Sorry?"

"Your fear of hospitals, something must have sparked the way you feel about them."

"I guess, it seems to me like everything points back to hospitals. Someone I know is always in the hospital, and I can't count the number of times that I visited the hospital wing when we were in school." she laughed slightly.

"Understandable."

"But, the real motivation came after the war…Harry was in the hospital for a long time, he was really hurt, and I was here for a long time with him. I felt this overwhelming feeling of cleanliness, and not in a good way, almost too clean. Like someone was here before you and when they go, their mess is cleaned out, and once the new patient roles in, and the old is forgotten."

"So no hospitals for you."

"Not if I can help it." she shook her head. "But some situations can't be avoided." she stopped and turned to look at him.

"This is true."

"Much like the one at present."

"Excuse me, are you the mother of Dominique Granger?"

"Yes I am." Hermione turned to look at the Doctor who was now speaking to her.

"Good, I would like to speak with you for a moment."

"Alright."

"Alone."

"Oh…well…you see…"

"I'm the father."

"Oh, well in that case. Your son Dom, is in a coma…we were able to repair his brain damage, however, he hasn't woken up…"

"So what does that mean?"

"It varies…usually when a patient is in a coma, it means that their body has shut down on them because there is too much damage to their system to maintain an awakened status. Because we have relieved the damage, he is able to wake up…"

"So why hasn't he then?"

"Miss Granger, he may wake up in the next ten minutes, tomorrow, or a year from now, everything depends on the patient. Dom is young, he should be able to pull through this, but you should know that the longer he remain in the coma state, the less likely it is that he will wake up."

"What can we do?"

"Nothing…you just have to wait."

"Thank you Doctor." the man bowed his head and then walked away. They stood in silence for a moment.

"Hermione…"

"Draco…I can't stop you from seeing him, you have that right, he is your son, but please…don't…"  
"I'm going to become attached Hermione, because he IS my son."

"Yes, he is, but…"

"He's going to wake up…he is." she only starred up at him.

"As much as I hope you're right…" she whispered. "Draco, what if he doesn't?" tears formed in her eyes. "What am I…what are we supposed to do, just pick up where we left off? Everything is going to change the moment you walk into his room because he won't just be a boy in a hospital bed…he'll be your six year old son, who you've never met before…who you've never spoken with. He's in a coma. You just mind that."

"I know all this…and yes it's a big step."

"It most certainly is…"

"But I'm ready to take it, so let me." again silence surrounded them before Hermione exhaled and looked down to the floor.

"Alright then."

Hermione and Draco came back to Dom's room.

"What here." Hermione walked in. "Hey guys…can we have a minute?" Everyone looked towards her with a chorus of 'yes' and they all sauntered out of the room. Hermione walked into the hall. "Alright." she sighed, taking Draco's hand without thinking, and leading him into the hospital room. She felt his body tremble as she led him through the door way. They stood, starring at the child who was lying in the bed. For a moment, the world stood still with them. Draco squeezed her hand tightly as her heart ached at the sight of her son. He was lifeless and empty. There was no trace of the joyful boy, who only last week she had been chasing around after. She covered her mouth with her other hand, suppressing a gasp for air as tears began to fall down her cheeks. Draco released her hands, turning to look at her. He wiped her tears away with his course thumbs, and cupped her face with his hands. Her eyes dropped to the floor as she let out a breath before looking back up at him.

"Go on." she urged him. He nodded, releasing her and walking over to they boy. He sat down, his eyes remaining on his son the entire time.

"God…he looks just like me." Draco said softly.

"He does." she nodded. Draco took the boy's hand in his. He said nothing, but meant everything. Hermione watched them, struck by Draco's sudden sensitivity and bond with a boy he had only just learned to be his son.

Her son and his father meeting was not how Hermione had imagined it all this time, but within the silence of the small hospital room, she was swept up in the many years she had spent alone, how she had dated it, when she had never had to be alone. She had no one to blame for her sadness other then herself.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

It was now the beginning of September. The breeze that had loomed at the end of August was now a chill. Leaves were beginning to brown and drift to the ground.

Dominic had been in a coma for a whole week, and for the entire time, Hermione had sat by her son's side, holding his hand. There was little change in him, his color was returning, his bruises fading, but he would not wake. Every breath he took seemed as if it would give him incentive to wake, but none came.

Hermione was secretly surprised that Draco had stayed with her all this time at the hospital. He would come every morning, and in the afternoon after work, sitting with her. Sometimes they spoke, other times they just sat in silence with one another. Perhaps she had expected him to visit Dom for a few days and then just disappear. But he didn't, and it was clear that he was not the Draco that she had known while attending Hogwarts.

This morning, Hermione woke up with a terrible crick in her neck. She had slept in Dom's room, leaning over his bed. She sat up, rubbing her eyes. There he was, just as before. She was yawning when she saw Draco standing in the doorway of the room.

"Morning." he sighed, walking into the room with his hands in his pockets.

"Morning." she yawned again.

"You look like you been here all night."

"That's because I have been here all night."

"And you've been here every night this week."

"Yes well…what am I supposed to do. I can't just leave him alone."

"I thing the doctors are about ready to collect your rent chick it you know what I'm aiming to. Don't you work or do something along those lines?"

"Work isn't really my top priority at the moment Draco."

"Why don't you let me take you out to lunch this afternoon? It might do you some good, to leave this place for a while…"

"I'm not hungry." she shook her head.

"Hermione…"

"I won't leave him Draco! What if he wakes up and no one is here with him?"

"What if he doesn't? He's been sleeping for a week now. Three hours isn't going to do any harm."

"No, I won't." she stood up. "I won't…can't leave him, Draco."

"Hey." he came closer to her, turning her to face him. "You know that…leaving him here does not mean that you're giving up on him…or that you love him any less." she looked up at him. "You need a break, that's all."

"So, I'm supposed to just go out with you while he lays here without anyone?" she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Actually…" they bother turned to see the doctor coming towards them. "That's precisely what I was coming to see you about." he said as he stood before them. "I've scheduled some tests to be run on Dom today."

"What sort of tests?" Hermione frowned.

"Tests to observe his brain waves, tissue and muscle weakness. We want to see his progress over the last week."

"Well…how long do you expect to be running the tests?"

"We will begin in a half hour, until three or four this afternoon. I suggest that you take Mr. Malfoy up o his offer." he smiled before turning to leave. Hermione exhaled and faced Draco.

"Alright." she shrugged. "But you had best get me out of here before I change my mind." she took her coat from the back of her chair and then walked to Dominic's side. "I'll be back soon." she whispered, kissing his forehead.

Walking through the hospital corridor together, Hermione pulled her jacket on.

"So what should we do?" she asked, looking over to Draco.

"Well,. I have to go back home for a minute…if you don't mind."

"No that's fine." she shook her head, and they were silent for a moment.

"There's a library, you know." he waited for her to respond. "If you like you can look around."

"Really?"

"What's a home without a library?" he chuckled. 'I'm sure that you own thousands of books in your flat."

"No, not really." she sighed. "So, you must be working in the ministry somehow." she smiled up at him. "What do you do?"

"Me? I work in international affairs and policies for the ministry."

"So, you travel a lot?"

"Quite a bit, yes." he nodded.

"That must be nice for you."

"Yes, it is." he sighed.

"Sounds convincing."

"Sometimes travel isn't all it is made out to be…and I have absolutely no idea what you do actually."

"It's not that exciting."

"Tell me…" he said as they came to the door. Hermione saw the crowd waiting for them outside.

"Oh God." she said as she pushed the door open and they were swarmed by reporters.

"How is Dominic?"

"Are you bringing the Weaslies to court?"

"Does the father know he is in the hospital?"

"Who is the father?"

"Is it Ronald Weasley?"

"Is that why he left for Italy this morning?" They clawed at Hermione, grabbing her jacket and tearing the material. She screamed slightly before Draco took hold of her hand.

"Fuck off!" he said just as they disapparated from the middle of the swarm.

When Hermione opened her eyes again, she was standing in a dark room. She observed the curtains disabling any sunlight from shining through the window. The furniture was crafted from dark mahogany, which only deepened the room's gloomy atmosphere.

"Are you alright?" she snapped back to herself, looking up at Draco.

"Yes, I'm fine…it's just my jacket." she sighed as she shrugged off the ripped material.

"Here, I'll get you one of mine." he took it from her and swept out of the room. Hermione sighed again, looking around her. She stepped over to the wall covered with a bookcase. The books were covered in dust, and she had to brush off the bindings to read the titles. "Here we are." Draco re-entered the room, carrying a beige coat. "It looks as if it might rain today." he handed the coat to her.

"Thank you." she took it from him. "You have an interesting collection." she said as she took a book from the shelf. "Self Reliance…Ralph Waldo Emerson." she smiled slightly.

"You know it?"

"Of course I know it!" she shook her head. "I've been looking for on original publication for years now, but…how old is it?"

"1841. The year it was published."

"That's incredible." she flipped the book open, skimming through the words. "Where did you find it?"

"Family heirloom. One of the rare gifts from my father."

"Amazing." she shook her head again.

"Would…would you like to borrow it?" he looked down at her. She frowned, somewhat surprised.

"Oh…I couldn't. It's a family heirloom…I mean…it just wouldn't be…"

"I want you to take it…I can live without it for a day or two." Hermione exhaled and placed it back on the bookshelf. "Hermione…"

"This room is so dark. Are we hiding from the sunlight?"

"Well, I haven't been home for six month, there really wasn't a need for sunlight. Nice change of subject by the way." he smirked.

"Yes, well…I feel like I've had to say too much about myself lately. You know more about me than I know about you."

"What do you want to know?"

"Whatever you're willing to share." she shrugged. "Anything…everything." she turned her back to him. "When I think back to…us, I never really knew much about you, and I still don't…what I mean is…I knew what everyone knew about you."

"Which was?"

"First the obvious…you were in Slytherin, so you, so you're from an ancient pureblood line. Your favorite class was potions and you were Snape's little pet. You were second in your class, behind only one person…"

"You yourself."

"Right. You were head boy and your father was, well…"

"You can call him a Bastard. I do it all the time."

"Alright…you were Slytherin Seeker, because your father bought your way in. But if you ask me, you would have made it in on your own, given some time." she nodded.

"Anything else?"

"You were a regular in detention, Pansy Parkinson was completely in love with you, Crabbe and Goyle waited on you hand and foot. You hated Ron and Harry more then anyone else, and really that's it."

"Ah but you forget that I hate my father, my favorite holiday is Halloween, I'm an only child and the wealthiest man in school…oh, and I bed a new girl every night."

"Draco…"

"It's just that…I thought all the prejudice between us was left back at school.

"You can't expect people to just abandon what they know…or what they knew." she shrugged.

"I just thought that this was behind us." he shook his head. "And the truth is, I knew just as much about you."

"I would say you knew a bit more, you were practically stalking me then entire seven years."

"Couldn't help myself." he shrugged. He came closer to her while her back was to him. Draco touched her arms, and she jumped slightly. "Do…do you think that we could spend the day together, you know getting to know each other…really getting to know each other?" he whispered. Hermione turned to face him, smiling.

"I would like that." she nodded. "But first I have to get some coffee into my system or I won't be very good company." she chuckled.

"Well, I don't have any in the manor."

"Blasphemous!"

"Will Diagon Alley suffice?"

"What will it be?" The waitress asked Draco and Hermione as they sat down at a table outside of a little café on Diagon Alley. The streets were packed, though it was without a familiar face.

"Two coffees please." Draco leaned forward as he pulled his jacket closer to him. "Chilly isn't it?"

"September came quickly this year." Hermione nodded. "Dom loves September. Fall is his favorite season…though I have strong a suspicion that it's only because he hasn't started school yet." she said as a cup of coffee was placed in front of each of them. "Thank you." she took the cup into her hand and sipped the steaming drink.

"Tell me more, I want to know everything."

"Everything?"

"Yes, everything."

"I can hardly remember what I had for dinner last night, let alone the last seven years Draco."

"Not even an overview then?"

"Well…"

"Excuse me…Miss Granger?" they turned to see an older woman hand in hand with a younger girl, who Hermione believed to be her granddaughter.

"Yes?"

"I hope you don't mind but…my granddaughter has heard all about you from her father and mother…she just adores you."

"Thank you very much, that's so sweet." she blushed almost instantly. "And what's your name, Dear?"

"Caroline." the girl smiled. Her two front teeth were gone and she had the widest grin Hermione had ever seen.

"It's lovely to meet you." Hermione held out her hand to the little girl. The girl quickly extended her hand to took grasp of Hermione's. She shook it nervously, her cheeks just as pink as Hermione's.

"Would you mind signing an autograph for her Miss Granger, it would mean to world to her."

"Of course." Hermione took her napkin from the side of her plate. "Do you have a pen Draco?" she looked across the table at him.

"No, I'm sorry I don't." he patted down the front of his jacket. "Wish I did." he smiled.

"Oh, I have one." Hermione took her purse from the back of the chair and fumbled around, searching for the pen.

"Are you Draco Malfoy?" the older woman frowned at him, watching him carefully.

"The very one." The woman's eyebrows rose.

"There we are." Hermione smiled as she pulled the cap from her pen and began to write on the napkin.

"This is just so nice of you Miss Granger."

"It's no problem really." she shook her head.

"And by the way, I'm so sorry about your boy Miss Granger…you're both in our thoughts."

"Thank you…that's very kind." Hermione looked up at the woman for a moment before handing the napkin to Caroline. "There you are." the little girl took the napkin as if it would break into a million pieces in her hands.

"Thank you so much Miss Granger. What do you say Caroline?" the woman nudged the young girl.

"Thank you." she blushed again.

"You're welcome dear, it was lovely you."

"Goodbye."

"Bye." the woman took Caroline's hand again and led her away from the table and down the long road away from the café. Hermione turned to look at Draco again. "Still a talented liar I see."

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about."

"There's a pen in your front pocket Draco."

"Alright…alright, you got me." he sighed, reaching inside his coat pocket and pulling the fountain pen out and sliding it across the table toward her. "But that pen wouldn't have been any good, the ink would have bled into the napkin and your autograph wouldn't have been any good." he said as she returned both pens to her purse. "Besides, don't you get tired of being recognized in public and having to sign autographs all of the time?"

"She's just a little girl."

"People are always peering into out lives like we belong in a museum or something." he frowned.

"They just want to meet you, that's ll. They don't mean any harm."

"It's just asking too much if you ask me."

"Well, I don't mind." she took another sip of her coffee.

"You wouldn't." he sighed. "By the way, how did you know I had a pen in my pocket?" he smirked.

"I have my ways."

"I knew you just couldn't resist a book store." Draco shook his head as Hermione pulled him down the aisle of one of the many book stores on Diagon Alley.

"It'll only take a minute, I promise."

"Don't think you fool me for a second. I know you too well, we'll be in here all day." he leaned against one of the bookshelves as she stopped to scan over the titles of one of the bookshelves.

"The more you complain, the slower I'm going to look."

"What are we even doing here?"

"Isn't that obvious? We are here in a bookstore. They sell books."

"You know what I mean." he shook his head and folded his arms over his chest.

"I'm looking for a book that lists all the books ever written in the entire history of the world."

"They keep track of stuff like that?"

"Of course they do! It's important!" she laughed.

"Couldn't you narrow it down a bit? Perhaps with books in the English language? That would bring the list down few million books right?"

"Yes, but you see, that would defeat the point. Some people speak more than one language and some people don't even speak English so it wouldn't really serve it's purpose, wouldn't it?"

"And what purpose is that?"

"Never you mind…they don't have it. The book is really rare so I'm not really surprised." she turned to look at him. His eyes were closed and her pretended to be snoring. Hermione went close to him and nudged him. He opened his eyes, chuckling.

"Well, that's because not too many people are looking for a list of every book ever written in the history of the entire world."

"Too bad." she sighed.

"Yes, now we have nothing to do."

"Oh shut up." she laughed. "There are eight other book stores here, maybe one of the others…"

"Drop it Granger! No is going to have that book."

"Maybe you're right." she nodded, folding her arms across her chest, leaning against the bookshelf as well,

"Hermione Granger?" she turned to face a middle aged man in a grey suit.

"Yes?"

"Wow, it's such a pleasure to meet you!" he laughed, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry but…you are?"

"Richard Sullivan…I feel like I know you. I've read so much about you."

"Well, I hope you don't believe everything you read."

"I recently finished reading Ronald Weasley's biography…he talks about you as if you were a Goddess…"

"I'm sure he exaggerated a bit." she shook her head.

"No…I don't think he did." they stood in silence for a minute. "I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am about your son…Dominic, isn't it?"

"Yes, thank you."

"It's just so tragic…him being so young and all."

"Yes…"

"And you being so young…raising a young boy all on your own…that must have been hard on you."

"Well, he's not a difficult child."

"No, he wouldn't be. And now with Mr. Weasley married, and leaving you for Italy…"

"Mr. Sullivan…"

"Richard." the man smiled.

"Richard…" she forced a smile onto her face. "Whatever you read in the that biography, Ronald and I…."

"It's just amazing how well you dealt with everything you've been through."

"That's very kind of you." once again, silence loomed over them before he reached into his coat pocket. "Here's my car…call me sometime, I'd love to take you out to dinner sometime." He handed the card to Hermione.

"I'll take that." Draco snatched the card from her and tore the paper into sections. "She won't be needing this." he let the pieces float to the floor.

"And who are you?"

"Draco Malfoy…and you can get going now."

"But…"

"I said you can leave." the man looked to Hermione.

"Bye Hermione."

"Bye." she said as he turned to leave.

"Bye Richard!" Draco waved to him, a wide smile on his face. The man looked over his should and then left the aisle, muttering something under his breath something that Hermione was sure she didn't want to hear.

"Draco." Hermione nudged him.

"That tool was totally hitting on you Hermione."

"Don't you think I know that?"

"Well why didn't you tell him to get lost?"

"Because…that sort of thing happens all the time. It doesn't mean anything."

"Whatever you say." he said, kicking at the pieces of paper on the floor. "Hope you weren't planning on calling him."

"Actually I wasn't." she said as she headed toward the door.

"Good." he followed her . "So, men just come up to you all the time like that?"

"Yes." she said as she stepped out into the street again.

"And you're alright with that?"

"It's not like I'm ever going to see him again. Really, it doesn't bother me." she shrugged. "Besides, I've learned from your antics, I can let anyone down easily now." he didn't say anything. "Draco…don't be like this." she sighed.

"Like what?"

"I can tell you're upset…it doesn't matter at all…he's a blip."

"But you said that this sort of thing happens all the time."

"So?"

"So, all of these men think they have a chance with you."

"I've never given any of them a second glance…what are you so worked up over?"

"I don't like the fact that all of these Bastards think that they have a chance with you…they think that you'll fall head over heals in love with them…

"Draco, don't let it get to you." she touched his arm. "None of them matter to me nearly as much as you…I swear to you. Don't be jealous." He looked down at her, and waited a moment to respond. He nodded, taking her hand in his and nodded. "Let's not talk about this anymore…let's get out of here and go ride the eye or something…alright?" she looked up at him, a smile on her face, hiding her concern.

"Yeah." he nodded.

"Alright then." she put her arm through his and they walked down the street again.

"Thank you." Hermione said as she and Draco walked down the crowded streets of London.

"What for?"

"For taking me out today…you were right. I did need some time to myself away from everything. I just wonder how much longer this is going to last."

"Hermione…where do you work?"

"Why do you want to know?" she looked up at him, frowning.

"I though for sure you would be working for the ministry or something along those lines."

"I've had my share of the ministry."

"Hermione, how are you going to pay for these hospital bills"

"What do you mean?"

"This is going to be expensive. He's already been in there for a week, and who knows…"

"Don't worry about it Draco."

"Be realistic Hermione."

"I don't understand what you're proposing I do."

"I want to help," he came close to her, moving a piece of hair from her face. "That's all." he whispered. Without warning, he leaned down and kissed her. Hermione stood in shock before pushing him away, placing a hand on his chest.

"What are you doing?" she frowned up at him, and looked around to see if anyone had been watching them.

"What do you think I was doing? I kissed you…"

"You…you shouldn't have done that." she shook her head as she removed her hand.

"Why the hell not?" he chuckled.

"Draco…"

"We just spent the whole day…"

"I'm sorry Draco…but I'm not ready for…I'll ask you not to kiss me in public because I'm just not comfortable. And I'll ask you not to but into my personal business."

"This is my business too Hermione, and I'm just trying to help…"

"I don't need your help Draco!" she exclaimed. They stood starring at one another, both fuming.

"No apparently not." he shrugged. "I'll get you back to the hospital."

"Draco, I…"

"No, it's alright…you just tell me when you're ready to admit that you can't handle everything on your own…I'll be waiting." he held out his arm to her.

"I can get back on my own, thank you." a frown came to Draco's face as thunder cracked above them. Rain began to pour down on both of them.

"Fine, do whatever the hell you want to do." he said before storming off down the street.

Hermione walked down the corridor of Saint Mungo's toward Dom's room. she was soaked through to the bone. It had to continued to rain as she walked aimlessly down the streets of London earlier.

The truth was that she had been worried about the hospital bills. How could she help but worry. but the more she worried about the money she owed, the more she became concerned with the fact that she was worried about money while her son was unconscious in the hospital. No, she just couldn't think about that now. She absolutely would not let Draco pay the bills though, that was out of the question.

Just who did he think he was? Did he expect to just waltz in and save her from certain death? No, she wasn't that girl and she never had been. She never would be. He just couldn't help trying to be her hero.

Hermione finally reached Dom's room. she walked through the door and froze in her spot.

"Mummy, where have you been?" Dom was sitting up in his bed, his arms folded over his chest.

"Dom…you're awake."

"And you're all wet mum…where were you?" Hermione ran to his side, kissing his cheeks.

"Oh thank God!" she laughed, holding him in her arms.

"Mum…stop!"

"Sorry…I just…I'm so happy that you're alright."

"Where am I? Some funny man in a white jacket was in here with me, but I just screamed and screamed for him to leave me alone because I know what you said about talking to strangers." he nodded.

"Dom, honey…" she smiled. "That funny man in the white jacket was a healer. You're in Saint Mungo's. Do you know why?" he shook his head. "You fell down the stairs at the Weasleys a weak ago and hit your head. You've been asleep all this time." she took his small hand in hers. "I was so worried about you. I'm so glad you're awake."

"But I feel fine…when can we go home?"

"I…I don't know. Why don't you just rest for a while, and I'll go fine the healer and ask him."

"But, I'm not tired!"

"Just rest your eyes then." she kissed his forehead. "I love you Dom."

"Love you too mum." he whispered as he closed his eyes.

"I'll be back soon." she said before going out into the hallway.

Hermione leaned against the wall as tears began to form in her eyes. She couldn't remember the last time she had been so happy. She felt as though she was about to burst. It was a miracle. There was no other explanation. She exhaled before going to the healer's desk.

"Can I help you?" a young healer asked.

"Yes, I'd like to send a letter out."

"Of course." she reached for a piece of parchment and a pen.

"Thank you." Hermione took the parchment and pen and shuffled over to a chair in the waiting room and began to scribble a note quickly. After folding up the parchment, she walked back over to the desk.

"Who are you sending this to?" the healer asked.

"Mr. Harry Potter." the woman's eyes widened as she looked up at Hermione.

"The Harry Potter?" she asked. "Wait a moment, are you…" pointed her pen at Hermione.

"I would appreciate it if you sent that letter out as soon as possible. Thank you." She walked away before the woman could say anymore. She say down with a huff, burying her face in her hands.

She felt relief finally rush through her. The very thought of what might have happened if he hadn't woken up…

"Hermione!" she sat up to see Harry and Ginny coming toward her. "We just got your letter." he said as she stood up to greet them.

"He's awake." she smiled as she hugged the both of them.

"When?"

"While the healers were running tests on him. He seems perfectly fine, just confused."

"This is fantastic Hermione."

"We're so happy for you Hermione." Ginny took her hand.

"Miss Granger?" Hermione turned to see the healer. "I'm guessing you've seen Dom." he smiled. "Quite the little tyke you got there, a real fighter."

"Yes Sir…thank you so much."

"It was none of my doing…when the time was right, I was sure he would wake. The young ones always do."

"How much longer will he have to stay here?"

"We will have to wait and see. It depends on how quickly Dominic recuperates."

"Thank you again."

"You are most welcome Miss Granger." He said as he shook her hand. "It's a pleasure to have met you by the way…and Mr. potter." the healer nodded to Harry and Ginny before leaving them.

"So, can we see him?"

"Um…he may be sleeping, and it's getting dark out…Ginny should rest, you must be exhausted." Hermione shook her head.

"Well, I must admit that when you were going through all of this it seemed a bit less traumatizing." Ginny brought her hand to her stomach.

"Exactly, Harry, go and take her home."

"It's really alright Hermione, we can stay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, yes, now let's go before I changed my mind." Hermione took the lead and walked down the hallway back to Dom. Ginny and Harry entered the room first while Hermione stood in the doorway and watched her sleeping son.

"Would…" they both looked toward her. "Would you mind if…there's just something that I have to do." Ginny looked at Harry, understanding.

"Go on, we'll stay here with him." she nodded.

"Thank you."

Hermione stood on the front porch of Mafloy's house. It was even grander outside then what she remembered of the inside. She had been pacing on the porch for about ten minutes, deciding whether or not to knock on the door. Finally she shook her head and reached for the brass knocker, when the door was suddenly pulled open. She jumped, her eyes widening when she saw Draco standing before her. They stood there, starring at one another for a moment.

"You're soaked."

"It's raining."

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I need to speak with you."

"What is it?"

"I'd rather not talk about it here…" she looked around. "Can I come in?" Draco moved aside, letting Hermione walk into the foyer. She was shaking like a leaf, clutching her arms to her. "How did you know I was here?"

"I saw you out there…pacing." he said as he shut the door. and walked past her, through the archway into the sitting room. Hermione followed him in, where a fire was blazing. "Sit." he motioned to a chair. She did so and watched him carefully. "Do you want a drink?"

"No…thank you." she shook her head. He poured himself a glass and took a sip before he stood in front of her, "So, why don't you tell me why you showed up on my front step during a rainstorm."

"Like I said, I needed to speak with you." she said as he took another sip of his whiskey. "And I would rather you weren't drunk while I discuss this with you." she looked up at him. He glared at her angrily, then swallowed the rest of the whiskey and place the glass on the bookshelf.

"And I would rather you nor tell me what to do in my own house." he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Draco, about the money…"

"Don't bother. You made it perfectly clear that you don't want or need my help…I'm out. You are only spreading salt over the wound coming here."

"I'll admit that I should have explained…"

"What is there to explain? I've been reaching out to you and all you do is push me away."

"I know that, but…"

"Really! Because I feel like what we have here is a one sided effort…"

"Damn it, Draco, will you let me speak?" she exclaimed, standing. He was taken aback for a moment. "Stop acting like a wounded animal! You are not the only one who is upset here! You think that I'm not excepting you money because if my pride, is that right?"

"Just about." he sighed.

"I don't want you money because, and this may come as a surprise to you…I really don't need your money!" He looked at her and waited for her to continue. "After the war, the ministry wanted all of us on their side, to make it seem as if they hadn't royally screwed us over. We all received large grants…of course Harry wasn't too pleased with the minister. He's too proud for his own good. He refused to accept the money." she paused to sit back down in the chair. "That was the week that I found out I was pregnant. When I told Harry and Ginny…they gave me their grants. I was desperate…eighteen and pregnant…I put the money away as an emergency fund. I'm sorry that you took all of this personally, but if you had let me tell you this while we were in London…"

"Alright…enough lectures for one day." he rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't lecturing."

"Oh really? Draco don't do this, Draco don't do that! Honestly, one would think that I was your son for fuck's sake."

"That's another thing, watch the cursing. I won't have that around Dom." Draco said nothing. "Secondly, I want to…to explain what happened today…when you kissed me."

"Don't worry about it. I got the message." he motioned to her.

"No, I don't think you have." she shook her head. Hermione stood, coming closer to him. "I thought that after that weekend, we could both move on and things would be finished. I had planned on telling you, and I had brought Dom to meet you, but after we spoke…the way you remembered me…I didn't want you to remember me as for former lover, pushing her child onto you…you just held me so highly on a pedestal that I was scared to…to not live up to that. It was after that, after the kiss… I realized that nothing has changed, because I am just as much in love with you know as I was seven years ago." he was starring down at her, their eyes gleaming. "The reason why I didn't want you to kiss me was that…I…I don't want more publicity around us then there already is. At Hogwarts we were able to be alone…but this is the real world. People notice us."

"Since when have you cared what people think?" he smirked.

"Since I realized that we have effects on people." she sighed. "Don't take this the wrong way Draco. I just need time…" she looked down at her feet, her cheeks bright red. Draco cupped her face. watching tears flow from her eyes.

"I understand…now stop crying. You know I can't stand it when a pretty girl cries." he reached inside his pocket and pulled out his handkerchief, handing it to her. She smiled, taking it from him.

"There's one more thing."

"What is it?"

"He's awake."

Draco and Hermione walked hand in hand down the hallway of Saint Mungo's. She led him until they reached the door, when Draco stopped. Hermione turned to face him.

"Are you alright?"

"Have to be." he sighed.

"He's going to love you." Draco nodded before reaching the door knob and twisting it open. He walked inside. Hermione waited outside, listening.

"Who are you?" Dom asked. Draco waited a moment before answering.

"I'm…"

"You're my dad, aren't you?"

"How did you know that?"

"Mum's told me all about you." Hermione smiled walking toward the waiting room.


	6. Chapter 6

"He's going to have to stay here until the end of the month." the Healer said sympathetically to Draco and Hermione. Draco stood next to her, his arm around her back as they both listened to the aging man before them.

"A whole month?" Hermione sighed.

"I'm afraid so. He is very weak and fragile at this point, any sort of incident, any spill or fall could put him back into a comatose state. But don't worry Miss Granger, Dominic will be home before the holidays."

"Yes, as long as he's home…we're very thankful for everything you have done for us and Dominic."

"It's my job Miss Granger, no need to thank me." he smiled.

"Still, we appreciate everything."

"Really, it's nothing. But…would you mind if I asked you a personal question?"

"Not at all." she shrugged. "What is it?"

"I was just wondering…I read a long time ago that you had plans to become a Healer after you graduated from Hogwarts. And if I remember correctly you were the brightest witch of your age. Why is it that you have never pursued a career as a Healer, I do believe it would have suited you."

"Well…" she looked up at Draco, and then back at the Healer. "…I guess after graduation…I had Dom, and…and then, life just got in the way." she shrugged.

"Do you have any plans to go back to school then? I'm sure you would be well received in the medical field."

"Oh, I don't know…" she shook her head, laughing nervously.

"Um…there's one more think I'd like to ask you."

"Yes?"

"Would you mind autographing this book for my granddaughter?" he held out a small blue satin covered book. "She's just in awe of you, and her birthday is next week. I would mean the world to her."

"Of course."

"Thank you so much." he pulled a pen from inside his coat pocket. Hermione took the book and flipped it open, writing quickly.

"What is her name?"

"Hannah."

"There you are." she handed the book and pen back to him.

"Thank you again."

"No problem."

"I want to go outside mum." Dom pouted. He sat in his hospital bed, looking out the window, while Hermione sat next to him and Draco leaned against the wall.

"I know you do, Dom, but you can't just yet."

"Why not?" he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Healer's orders Dom."

"But I don't feel sick or anything. I want to go and play." he looked towards Draco. "Tell her I can go out."

"Oh no…I know better then to cross your mother."

"Dom, the reason why you can't go out is because you aren't strong enough yet…"

"I am too…"

"No, you only think you are. We can't risk you getting sick again or falling and hurting yourself. You've got enough healing to do as it is."

"But mum…it's fall…"

"I know baby."

"Pretty soon…the leaves will be covered with snow, and I won't be able to play in them…it isn't fair." he sighed. Hermione brought her hand to his cheek.

"I know hon…but don't you worry, there will always be a new fall with new leaves for you to play in, alright?" he nodded. She kissed his forehead. "Are you hungry?"

"Very."

"I'll go and get you some ice-cream."

"Chocolate please."

"As you wish." she smiled. Hermione stood up and walked past Draco out into the hall.

As Hermione walked back to Dom's room ten minutes later with the ice-cream bowl in her hand, she stood outside the doorway, watching Draco and Dom together.

"Can I ask you a question?" Dom whispered quietly.

"Of course you can." Draco straightened his back/

"What…what should I call you?"

"Call me?" he frowned.

"You know…father…dad…" they both sat in silence for a moment, until Hermione walked into the room.

"Draco…I need to talk with you for a minute." she said quickly. He turned to look at her. "Here Dom, eat your ice-cream, we'll be back." she handed the bowl to him.

"Thanks mum."

"You're welcome." she kissed his forehead. "Come on." she looked to Draco and lead him out of the room.

"What were you thinking?" she turned to look at him.

"What are you talking about?"

"Your son doesn't even know what to call you…and it doesn't help that when he asks you what he should call you, you don't have an answer…you don't say anything!"

"What do you want me to say Hermione? I just found out that I have a son!"

"But saying nothing makes it seem like you don't even care!" he said nothing, just looked down at his feet. "You …you do care…don't you?" she frowned. Again he said nothing. "I can't believe you're doing this."

"Doing what?"

"Do you know how difficult this is? For me? For Dom? He's never known his father, and now you're here and you don't have any interest in his well being."

"You know that's not true."

"Do I? I don't know anything about you and that's because you never say how you feel! You just keep everything bottle up because you're scared of people knowing that you're afraid!"

"Enough!" he backed her up into the wall, his arms placed over her shoulders. "You're right about one thing…you don't know anything about me. You think his is difficult for you? Why don't you try to have some sympathy for me for one single second? I only just found out that I have a son and you expect me to fucking dance for joy!"

"I expect you to take responsibility for yourself. He wouldn't have been born without one half of your chromosomes!"

"You want me to take responsibility? What about seven years ago when you found out that you were knocked up? Where was your sense of superiority then? It didn't cross your mind then to take 'responsibility' for yourself then?"

"I've already told you why I didn't tell you. Why don't you stop blaming me for everything that is happening? I didn't have a baby on my own…I didn't leave you on a whim!"

"Really? Then why did you? Why would you want to have Dom on your own? Was I really such a monster that you were afraid I would turn our son against you?"

"You're not a monster. Maybe if you were I would have been able to keep you from seeing Dom. You're like Jekyll and Hyde…hot and cold…and it's all because your father was a monster!"

"Don't you bring him into this!"

"Why shouldn't I? He mad you into the man you are!"

"I am nothing like my father!"

"You say so…but sometimes…like right now, I can see Lucius in you, and the only person you're lying to is yourself!"

"I am not a monster like my father! I could be nothing farther from me father, you of all people should know that." they remained starring at each other, neither backing down.

"If you didn't want to be a part of Dom's like, you should have said so two weeks ago…not now when he knows you, when he likes you and wants to learn everything about you. He already loves you." she whispered. Draco met her stare, the pride in her eyes shining brightly.

"Is there a problem here?" a woman healer's voice broke Draco and Hermione apart.

"No…no problem at all." he shook his head. "We were just discussing our dinner plans…" Draco looked down at Hermione. She didn't say anything.

"Ma'am…are you sure you're alright?" she touched Hermione's shoulder.

"Yes…yes I'm fine." she nodded. "Yes, dinner at six, my flat." she forced a smile onto her face. "Now, if you'll excuse me…" she walked past them back towards Dom's room.

"Are you sure you want to stay? I mean, I would rather just stay here with him."

"Yes, I'm sure. I need some time with my godson, if you don't mind. And you could do with more then four hours of sleep," Harry smiled.

"Alright, but you call me when he falls asleep…and when he wakes up…you swear?"

"Yes, yes I swear. Now really Hermione, go home and rest!"

"Thank you Harry." she said before kissing him on the cheek. "Alright babe, Uncle Harry and you are going to have a sleep over tonight."

"Where are you going mum?"

"Your mum is going home to get some rest, while you and I have some fun."

"I'll be back first thing in the morning, alright?"

"I love you mum."

"Love you too Babe. See you in the morning." she said as she leaned over his bed. "Kisses." he kissed her cheeks. "Goodnight."

"Night mum."

"Thanks again Harry." she said as she gathered her coat in her arms, which was actually Draco's. "See you in the morning." she blew a kiss to Dom before leaving.

Hermione walked home, enjoying the silence surrounding her. As she turned the corner to flat before seeing a swarm of photographers outside.

"Bloody Hell." she shook her head. She closed her eyes and apparate up to her front door. "Heaven forbid they leave me alone for a moment." she shook her head, pulling her keys from her pocket. She fumbled with them for a moment, finding the right key, and unlocking the door. She threw her keys onto the table and shut the door behind her.

"You're late." Hermione jumped, looking towards the couch, where Draco was sitting with his feet up on the coffee table. "We did say six, right?"

"What are you doing here?" she shook her head.

"You said we'd have dinner here tonight. Surely you hadn't forgotten,"

"I said that just to cover for your folly. I didn't tell you to break into my flat and sit in the dark like some stalker."

"About that…where are your wards? I had no trouble getting in here."

"We aren't in wartime anymore Draco, any normal person wouldn't have gotten in here."

"You want to know what I've noticed about you?"

"No, but I think you're going to tell me anyway." she shrugged off his jacket and threw it to him.

"You will go to any measure imaginable to not have magic in your life."

"What…that's ridiculous! "It's true, I haven't see you use magic once in all of this time. Why is that?"

"Just because I use discretion and I don't go waving my wand around everywhere, trying to save the world doesn't mean that I don't use magic. I use it in it's proper place and time, just as I should."

"I don't know how you do it." he shook his head.

"I manage…and right now I would really like to take a bath and then curl up with a good book."

"Well, don't change your plans on my account." he shrugged. "I certainly don't mind."

"I knew you wouldn't. Sorry but I'm going to have to decline your offer."

"Come on Granger, have dinner with me. It will be fun."

"Fun…what do you know about having fun?"

"A bit more then you do obviously." he chuckled. Hermione smiled for a moment, before looking down at her feet.

"I don't have anything edible here. I haven't been home because of Dom…it's all gone bad." she shook her head and folded her arms around herself.

"My place then?" he smiled.

"Do I have a choice?"

"You have to eat sometime, don't you?"

"So, what's on the menu tonight?" Hermione asked as she peeled off her jacket and threw it onto the kitchen counter.

"I don't know, actually, I'll have to ask my house elves…"

"House elves?" Hermione folded her arms over her chest.

"Just kidding. I don't have any house elves, I just wanted to see you get angry."

"Well, you've done that." she smiled. "What is it with you and making me angry?"

"I guess that's the only thing I can ever be sure of. I never have to work hard to make you angry?"

"Well, congratulations."

"Thank you." he bowed his head. "Now, what would you like for dinner?"

"I done know…what ever you have."

"Let's see shall we?" he walked around to the fridge. Hermione sat up on the counter, resting her hands on her lap.

"So, you live her alone?"

"Well, excluding Mrs. Calhoun, yes."

"Who's Mrs. Calhoun?" Hermione frowned.

"My house keeper. She's eighty years old, you have nothing to worry about." he chuckled.

"I wasn't worried." she shook her head.

"Sure you weren't." he stood and carried a bottle of wine to her side. "She and Mr. Calhoun are going on their sixtieth year of marriage this year." he set the bottle down next to her. Then he reached up above her to bring down two glasses. "They are my only remaining hope that marriage can actually endure the ages."

"Your parents…" she began.

"No divorce in the magical world…it just wasn't possible for them. Besides, my parents were meant for one another, both trying to out do one another, it was enough to drive me insane."

"That didn't give you a very good example."

"No…it didn't." he shook his head as he reached for a towel and wrapped it around the cork of the bottle, pulling it out. Hermione jumped slightly. Draco poured wind into both glasses and then handed her a glass.

"So, how are they now? Still hating one another?"

"No, my father died last year." he answered quietly.

"Oh…I'm…I'm so sorry Draco. I didn't mean to pry."

"It's alright." he brought a hand up. "I'm over it…you're one of the few people who I truly believe had sympathy for the overwhelming patheticness in the man." he said as he took a sip of wine.

"He's still your father." she whispered. "And I was wrong." she looked down at her lap. Draco was standing in front of her.

"About what?"

"You're nothing like him." she sighed and took another sip of wine.

"I'm glad you think so." he came closer to her, placing his hands on either side of her against the counter.

"I know so."

"So have you forgiven me for this afternoon?" she inhaled, nodding.

"If you can forgive me for calling you a monster and bringing up your father."

"Done." he put out his hand to her. She shook his hand, their eyes never leaving one another. He held her hand for a moment, before releasing it. Hermione was first to look away.

"I'm hungry…" she whispered. Draco smiled, taking a step back.

"Right…well." he clapped his hands together. "It looks like pasta is on the menu, if that will suit you?"

"It will." she smiled, taking another sip of wine.

"Good." he moved around the kitchen, preparing the food as quickly as possible. Hermione watched him the whole time, taking in his presence. About a half hour later, the food was ready. Draco presented her with a plate of pasta.

"Thank you."

"You are most welcome."

"This looks really amazing Draco…I had no idea that you could cook."

"One of my many hidden talents." he shrugged. "Would you like to eat I the dinning room or…"

"Here…I like it up here." she knocked on the granite counter.

"Alright." she took the plate. Draco stood in front of her, placing his plate on the counter. "I'm glad you came."

"Me too…this in nice."

"I should forgive you more often." she laughed.

"Maybe you should." he agreed. They both sipped their wine. Hermione was beginning to feel it's effects. She was warm, her worries were far in the back of her mind at the moment. Her eyes were clouded over, and she was happy.

"You're not eating." he looked down at her plate.

"I am." she blushed, spinning her fork to gather the pasta, and eating it. Cautiously she looked at him again. "So, Mrs. Calhoun, does she work here everyday or…"

"Every other….how else would my house stay clean?" she nodded.

"And they've been married for sixty years?"

"Seems like forever, doesn't it?"

"But, I mean…they must have had their arguments, their rough times."

"I suppose so…yes. But what are you saying?"

"Well, just that…no marriage is perfect, you know…it's impossible for two people to be completely content for every moment with the other." he said nothing, but waited for her to continue. "Nevermind, it's stupid." she grabbed her glass of wine and finished the liquid. "It's getting late…I should get home." She set her plate aside and jumped off the counter.

"It's only eight." he looked down at his watch. He grabbed her hand and stopped her. "Why are you running away from me?" she shook her head.

"I'm not."

"Oh, really? What are you so scared of Hermione?"

"I'm not scared!"

"Yes you are. You just sat on my counter for the last half hour pouring you heart out to me and suddenly you just go off on me when marriage or happiness is brought up. You're scared to be around me when ever love becomes a subject. Why do you think that is?"

"You're bent! That's ridiculous!" she shook her head. "Why did you bring me here? To get me drunk and then scream at me?"

"You're the one yelling Hermione. Not me! And the reason why we can't get along is that you can't even be honest with yourself, let along me!"

"Your righteousness is infuriating! All you do is look down at others and find their flaws."

"You know that's not true."

"Why are you trying to pitch an argument Draco? Why is it that we can't just get along?"

"That's just not how it works Hermione…it's just as you said before…no marriage is perfect and no two people can get along in every moment of their relationship."

"But I don't want to fight with you Draco. I don't want to scream and yell at each other or go to bed with our backs to one another every night. That's not what I want for Dom, and it's not the sort of relationship I want…that's all we've ever been good at, fighting and yelling!"

"I'm not going to lose you over this again Hermione…I let you leave me once. I'm not about it let it happen again." he pulled her to him, their lips meeting. Hermione's mind went blank suddenly. She moved onto her tip toes, holding onto his arms. He kissed her cheeks, her jaw, down her throat, moving them toward the counter. He lifted her up to sit on top of the granite counter. Their plates smashed to the floor, but they ignored the broken glass. Hermione's fingers twisted in his golden hair, while one of Draco's hands held the back of her throat, continuing to pull her toward him, while his other hand rested on her waist. "God, I love you." Draco groaned when he returned to her lips. His hands quickly went to the buttons on her blouse. He was able to get two buttons undone before Hermione pushed against his chest.

"Draco…stop!" she whispered urgently.

"Why? What is it?" he frowned at her, taking her hands in his.

"I…I can't do this Draco." she removed one of her hands from his and pushed her hair from her face.

"Why not? Do you know how long I've wanted to do this?"

"It's just…now isn't the right time for this."

"Now is the perfect time! It couldn't get any better then this." Hermione slid off the counter, buttoning the buttons that Draco had managed to undo. "Bloody tease," he muttered under his breath.

"I am not a tease! Why can't you just understand that I'm not going to sleep with you on a whim!"

"It never bothered you before." he smirked.

"That was seven fucking years ago Draco! We aren't seventeen anymore! You can't get me drunk, throw me on top of a table and expect me to go along with it! We are not having sex tonight, and if you were smart, you won't expect it for a long time!" she said before grabbing her coat and apparating home.

It was All Hallows Eve, and Dom was still in Saint Mungo's. So Hermione had decided to have a Halloween Party at the hospital for him. The room was decorated with orange and black streamers, fake spider webs hung in the corners of the rooms, and fake spiders hung from the ceiling.

Dom now wore a bandage around his forehead, and it had been Hermione's idea that he dress up as a mummy for the party. Hermione had dressed up as a witch, a witch's hat on top of her curly hair, while she wore black robes.

Hermione had invited Harry, Ginny, and the rest of the Weasley family. They had all arrived at five, laughing as they took in the decorations. Ginny hugged Hermione tightly, kissing her cheek.

"You've done a wonderful job! Dom won't ever forget this." Ginny tapped one of the dangling spiders. She was dressed as a teacher, glasses balancing on the tip of her nose. she looked over at Harry, who had decided to dress up as Albus Dumbledore. he was sitting with Dom on his bed, laughing with him. "I hope I'm as good a mother as you , Hermione." Ginny watched Harry, her hands resting on her stomach.

"You will be Gin." Hermione touched her arm.

"I'm worried Hermione. Harry and I get followed everywhere, practically stalked by all of Britain! I'm worried about what I'm bringing he or she into. How did you do it Hermione?"

"Have you told Harry about this?"

"No, he's so excited. He went out and bought Quidditch jerseys for the baby…he practically took over the nursery."

"I'm sure if you told him he would be receptive. Give him a little credit Gin, he did put up with Ronald for seven years."

"Speaking of my brother…has he written to you at all?"

"Not a single word…but in all honesty, I don't want to hear from him at all."

"And how are things with…M…Draco? Better?"

"Um…we were…but then we sort of got into a huge fight."

"So, you aren't speaking then?"

"I'm not sure." she shrugged.

"Oh boy." Ginny blushed.

"What is it?" Hermione frowned.

"I've done something that you aren't going to like." Ginny looked over Hermione's shoulder and bit her lip.

"It can't be that bad Gin!"

"I don't know" Ginny turned Hermione to look at the doorway, where Draco stood.

"Ginerva Weasley!" Hermione turned her back to look at Ginny again. "What is he doing here?" she whispered.

"I sort of invited him. I didn't know you two were arguing or I never would have, I swear! Please don't be angry with me."

"I'm not angry, I just wish that…" she sighed. "It's fine Gin, don't worry yourself about this." she said as he walked toward them. Draco was dressed as a vampire, with a trickle of red liquid running down his chin.

"Hi." he said cautiously.

"Hello." Hermione said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Um…hi Draco." Ginny smiled awkwardly at him.

"Hey Ginny." he smiled back. "Well, I must say I was a little surprised when Ginny invited me, but…can't we just let the past be the past?" he now looked at Hermione.

"What is that?" she frowned.

"What is what?"

"That on your face?"

"My make-up?"

"No." she reached up and wiped the red goo from his face, and then put her finger in her mouth. "Strawberry sauce?" she shook her head, her eyes wide. Surprised eyes met hers. "What?"

"That…what if that had been some sort of drug or…what if it was blood?"

"But it wasn't." she shrugged.

"I know that…but still…"

"Nevermind that…you can't come in here with blood on your face even if you are a vampire! It could have scared him!"

"How is he?" Hermione turned to watch her son.

"He's tired mostly, but…I can see him again, they way he was before." she smiled slightly.

"That's good." he nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. Ginny smiled and left them to talk along. "So, was it really your idea to invite me here?"

"In all honesty…no."

"I knew it." he chuckled.

"Well, you certainly didn't decline the invitation even though you knew."

"I wanted to see him…and to apologize for the other night." he said softly.

"Apologize?"

"Yes, I realize that I was in the wrong, and…from now on I will respect your decisions toward…that subject."

"Well…" her eyebrows rose. "Thank you…I think. And you're welcome to stay as long as you want."

"So, how is he really? Did the tests show anything new?" She turned to look at her son.

"Well…the Healer said that he is wheelchair bound. He's going to have to learn to walk all over again, because of his brain damage…his motor functions are weaker now, but they should improve over time. He's just…weak. he sleeps almost all day. I don't know what I can do…" she placed her hand over her mouth and shook her head. "I just…don't want him to have to spend another holiday here." she said quietly.

"I know." he nodded, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"You should go and see him…he missed you." she looked up at him.

"Alright." he took her hand and kissed it, before he walked over to Dom.


End file.
